Charlene's Diary
by Uhura the 9th
Summary: These are compilation of short stories about Sulu/Masters relationship, based on from the "Transferred" story. Charlene and Hikaru and officially engaged. If you want to read how their relationship began, read "The Battle of Spock part 2:chapters 19-36". Part 12 of Uhura's World Series
1. Chapter 1-The Reckoning

Charlene's Diary

Peta Reader: Jsilver2000

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Charlene—The Reckoning

I decided to do a mini-series on Charlene Masters and her relationship with Hikaru Sulu. I hope you enjoy these short stories on their relationship.

* * *

Most of the Enterprise crew was enjoying shore leave at Starbase 9, where multiple bars offered options to suit anyone's taste. But we find Lieutenent Charlene Masters sitting at the bar alone, although there are other patrons around. The lights are dim, providing a romantic atmosphere, and people are talking iquietly.

Charlene glanced around and returned her attention to her drink as if she's waiting for someone.

Lieutenant (JG; Junior Grade) Jamaal James Edwards (JJ to his family), wandered into the lounge. He had come along way since the academy; he wanted to explore the galaxy, which he did—sort of. He was stationed on a light cruiser that saw little to no battle action while patrolling a peaceful (boring!) stretch of space. Jamaal was aware that promotions and prestigious assignments tended to go to officers who had seen action, which meant he was unlikely to get one. He was stuck in a rut and didn't know how to get out. _I want something different; I want more opportunity__,_ he thought as he scanned the lounge, looking for a little romance to keep his mind of his current situation. He spotted the silhouette of a woman at the bar: _'__There's an attractive woman'_ and decided to turn on the charm, but when he lightly touched the shoulder of the brown beauty, she suddenly turned toward him. Jamaal felt something cold hit his chest and drip down his shirt. He looked down at his shirt in shock and he heard a gasp.

"I'm so sorry about that! You took me by surprise."

Their eyes met and then widened in recognition.

"Jamaal?"

"Charlene?"

Charlene looked at the remains of her drink splashed across Jamaal's shirt.

"I'm sorry about that; please let me clean that up."

She turned back to the bar and reached for the nearest towel on the counter, but the bartender tried to get her attention.  
"No! Not that one, MISS!"

Charlene started to rub the front of Jamaal's shirt and a dark food substance smeared onto his shirt where she rubbed. She gasped again and covered her mouth:

"Oh no! I… I think I made it worse!"

Jamaal looked down at his dress shirt smeared with Charlene's drink and some dark black food substance and sighed. Then he turned his most winning smile on Charlene:

"It's okay—I just wanted to say hello and see how you are doing."

"That's nice of you. I'm really sorry about your shirt." Charlene stared at it again.

"Charlene, where are you stationed?"

Charlene looked at him curiously, wondering: "I'm on the USS Enterprise."

The gears in Jamaal's mind started turning: _The Enterprise is a Constitution-class starship and Captain James T. Kirk is one of the most decorated captains in the fleet. Kirk is considered a maverick, a one-of-a-kind officer; the man is a household name throughout the Federation and is recognized for his feats of exploration. Working under him would almost certainly lead to a higher rank. Officers throughout the fleet are practically lining up to be assigned to the Enterprise, with all its commendations and awards; even people in the enlisted ranks are dying to get aboard that ship__._

"Really? What do you do there, Charlene?"

"I'm a lieutenant; I work with Lieutenant Commander Scott in Engineering."

Jamaal's eyes lit up. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, and the fact she outranked him made him a little jealous. And Lt. Commander Scott was a legend throughout the academy for his feats of engineering that had saved the ship from destruction so many times. Jamaal wanted to transfer to the Enterprise to see some action and be a part of the elite crew.

"You… you work with Mr. Scott?"

Char nodded her head yes:  
"The best in the fleet!"

Jamaal waved to the bartender:  
"What are you drinking, Charlene? I would like to buy you another one since I was responsible for wasting the last one," Jamaal chuckled.  
"Well, I…"

"Please, for old time's sake?"

"Okay."

"Bartender, may I have an old English ale and a…" He looked to Charlene for her order:  
"Tropical fruit daiquiri, please."

While they waited for their drinks, Jamaal took a good look at his ex-girlfriend, noticing the many changes in her. Charlene wasn't that rough-and-tumble girl he knew back at the academy. She looked different, her figure had filled out, and she had nicely shaped curves. She wore make-up that complemented her face, and her hair was nicely styled. But most of all, she had become a more poised and confident woman. Jamaal stared into her eyes:

"Wow, Charlene, you look really nice; I can't believe how much you've changed since our academy days."

"Why thank you, Jamaal. You kinda look… the same."

"I hope that was a compliment."

Charlene gave a slow laugh:  
"You know, some people change and some people don't."

Their drinks arrived and Jamaal decided to take them to a table so they could chat more intimately. He wanted to see if Charlene could help him transfer to the Enterprise. Maybe she could put in a good word with the captain or Lt. Commander Scott it would really boost my moral and credentials.

"Let's take a table over there and talk about old times, Charlene." Jamaal said sweetly and smiling down at Charlene.

Charlene slowly stood up, while Jamaal attempted to wrap his arms around her waist. Her foot was tangled in the stool leg; her body leaned forward, her drink spilled, and Jamaal—in his attempt to balance her—slipped on the spilled fruit on the floor, his leg kicking up in the air as he went down. He landed on his back with his ale and her drink splashing all over him. Charlene started to fall forward on top of him; instinctively, her knee jerked out to stop her fall, landing squarely between Jamaal's legs. He yelled in pain as Charlene toppled over on her side. She looked over to see Jamaal cradling his family jewels protectively and writhing in pain.

Charlene stumbled to her feet and gasped:  
"Oh—oh my God! Jamaal, are you all right?"

Jamaal Edwards was lying on the floor injured, with ale and a daquiri soaking into his clothes, whereas Charlene was unharmed and had not a single drop on her dress. She bent down to help raise him up; again, she slipped on the drink-covered floor and fell forward, her elbow landing sharply in his chest. Jamaal grunted in pain.

"Oh! Oh! I… I just don't know what's wrong with me; it seems I keep hurting instead of helping. I'm sorry, Jamaal!"

Charlene turned to the bartender:  
"Can you please call for medical help for my friend?"

The bartender gave Charlene a suspicious look but turned to his comm unit to summon help. Charlene tried to comfort Jamaal by reaching for him, and he snapped at her:

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" He held up a hand to ward her off while he grimaced in pain.

"But I want to help you! You bought a drink and everything. Let me help you, Jamaal."

"NO PLEASE! I'm all right. The medical team is coming. It was good to see you. Bye!"

Jamaal lay there moaning in the fetal position, one hand cupping his private parts, the other clutching his chest.

Charlene stood up and proudly stepped over the moaning man, a small smile forming on her face as she headed for the exit. Two medics arrived at the bar with a stretcher and other equipment and tended to the injured man on the floor. Charlene turned at the entrance to observe her handiwork: _Nothing like satisfaction for a no-good a**! It's been over ten years since Jamaal broke my heart and made me look like a fool._ She had seen him enter the bar and knew he would approach her. _The nerve of the man! He tried to ease up on me again to get on the Enterprise! Hell, no!_

Then another arm wrapped around her shoulders, but this hug was a welcome one. It was followed by a kiss on her cheek:  
"Hi, honey. You been waiting long? I'm sorry I took so long."

Charlene turned to her fiancé Hikaru Sulu:  
"I'm ready, 'Karu."

Sulu heard the commotion in the lounge and turned to see the medical team.  
"Something happened in there?"

Charlene took his hand and led him out into the corridor, leaning on his shoulder.  
"Oh, some guy slipped on the floor."

* * *

Three weeks later:

"CHAR! You did what? That was Jamaal on the floor?" Sulu shouted.

"Yep; it felt good kicking his a**."

"That's not fair—"I" wanted to kick his a**!"

Sulu grabbed Charlene, pressed his body against hers, and gave her a deep, sizzling kiss, whispering,

"That's my girl."

* * *

**A/N:** Jamaal is mentioned in some of my previous stories: "The Battle for Spock Part II," chapter 20; and "Transferred," chapter 4.


	2. Chapter 2-Thicker Than Blood

Charlene's Diary

chapter 2

Beta Reader: Jsilver2000

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**Thicker than Blood**

Charlene's thoughts:

She thought about her brothers, wondering if they would like 'Karu, the man she was going to marry. _The family test is the worst; it brings out all kinds of anxiety and frustration._ She thought about her family dynamics: three big brothers, literally big—they ranged from 6'3" to 6'5". Somehow, height passed her over when genes were being handed out; Charlene just shaved 5'7". Just imagine being the youngest, the smallest, and the only girl in a land of giants. She had been the prime target of all their antics back in the day. But Charlene smiled to herself, thinking of how all their tough love made her tough, self-sufficient, and a total tomboy. She clung to them as a child, idolizing them. Charlene thought the world of her older brothers, despite having sometimes been treated like the runt in the family.

Wearing the Starfleet uniform was uncomfortable for Charlene, as it showed most of her legs. But because she was in the engineering modules at the Academy, she had gotten to wear pants, to her relief. It was at the Academy that she met Nyota Uhura, who helped Char to find her feminine side. Charlene didn't even know she had curves to sway with. Nyota gently showed how to administer make-up and find the right clothes to go clubbing. They became instant sisters because neither one had ever had one before.

_I wish Nyota and Spock were here, mostly Spock. If my brothers start to give 'Karu too hard a time, Spock would deal with them with his famous nerve pinch._ Charlene had seen Mr. Spock in action with that move: _First, the man is stealthy when he approaches a target and then he swiftly attacks. It was amazing how he used that technique._

_If my brothers do anything to mess this up I will personally kill them! I found the man I want—a man who wants to marry me for myself._ As Charlene's thoughts kept spinning around and around, she fervently hoped her brothers would accept her 'Karu.

* * *

"This is the place!"

Three tall, handsome black men stepped out of their hovercar and glanced up toward a small house.

"This neighborhood is a classic; it's part of the Old San Francisco district," Marcus Masters said.

"Whatever, little bro. The idea that our little sister is getting married is preposterous," Curtis Masters stated unequivocally.

"No man is good enough for our little sister; we trained her well to look out for a**holes." the eldest brother (Darren Masters) asserted.

"Is this man Curlu an a**hole?" Curtis asked slyly.

"You two need to step back—Charlene is a grown woman, and his name is SULU!" Marcus snapped.

"What kind of name is THAT?!" Darren demanded to know, turning to his younger brother Marcus.

"It's Japanese," Marcus said.

"He's Japanese?" both Curtis and Darren asked at the same time, turning to look at Marcus in disbelief.

"Yeah, Charlene said he's a real nice guy."

The three of them started walking up the steps and Darren stopped them to address his concerns: "It is our responsibility as older brothers to approve or disapprove of this marriage. If we don't like him, we'll do the rope-a-dope on him until he changes his mind."

"Oh no you don't!" Marcus snapped. " You two leave me out of it; if the man makes her happy, I'm all for him!"

Curtis shoved Marcus. "Man, you dope! Charlene is our responsibility; we taught her everything!"

"Everything except how to be a woman; we practically raised her as a boy," Marcus argued.

"Yeah, but it kept her out of trouble, and she should be grateful for it," Curtis put in.

"Marcus, shut up! Curtis and I got this. If the man Culu or Fulu or Su-Su checks out, we are cool with the match."

"Look, guys, don't do this to our sister. She'll get mad or worse—beat the crap out of us. Leave it alone," Marcus pleaded.

The three six foot-plus men continued up the steps to meet their future brother-in-law, ready to put Hikaru Sulu to the test.

Darren knocked at the door and the three of them straightened their shirts to present themselves. The door swung open to a slightly shorter Asian man wearing an apron. Sulu looked up at the men and swiftly removed his apron to greet them.

"Hi! You must be Charlene's brothers. Please come in."

Sulu stepped aside to let the men in. As they went past him, the height difference between Sulu and the brothers became acutely apparent.

"I'm Hikaru Sulu, Charlene's fiancé." Sulu extended his hand.

"I'm Darren Masters; these are my brothers, Curtis and Marcus."

All three men shook Sulu's hand and then he shut the door.

"Gentlemen, I just started cooking in the kitchen. Why don't you join me?" Sulu led the men to the kitchen, where he was preparing the food.

As they were walking, they noticed the house's décor in authentic ancient Japanese furniture and art. Sulu turned to see them looking around.

"This is my aunt's place; she's letting us use it while we are on leave. Nice isn't it?"

Darren, being the oldest, took charge: "Where's Charlene?"

"Oh, she's in the bedroom getting dressed, you know how women are about wanting to look just right, she'll be out later."

"Come sit over here, gentlemen. I'm almost done with prepping."

"Prepping?" Marcus asked.

"Yes, I'm cooking dinner. I'm not bad, but I'll let you be the judge." Sulu walked behind the counter toward a long flat grill. Four tall chairs were in front of the counter.

The three brothers each took a seat facing the grill. A large hood hung over the flat grill. They noticed vegetables and plates and an assortment of spices spread out over the counter.

"Gentlemen, would you like something to drink? I have an assortment of beverages."

"I'll take water for now," Darren said.

"Do you have those old Budweiser ales?" Curtis asked.

"Apple juice for me," Marcus added.

The two older brothers turned toward Marcus and gave him the evil eye for asking for a kids drink.

"Marcus, have you ever tried sake? It's an old Japanese rice wine. It packs a punch!"

"OK, I'll try it," Marcus responded, giving his brothers the same evil eye.

Sulu went to warm up the sake. He pulled out four authentic Japanese _'__ochoko'_, poured the sake into the small cups and set them on a tray. He turned to give them each a cup. Darren and Curtis hesitated to take one, but Marcus grabbed his.

Sulu took the last one on the tray. He raised his cup, saying "Here's to the future" and then drank his in one gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh afterward. "Ahh, that was good!"

Marcus took a sip and then continued to drink his sake. His brothers did the sniff test and slowly brought their cups to their lips to taste. They were pleased with the taste and finished their cups off, giving each other the "not bad" look.

"See, I told ya; it has a little kick! Now let me start cooking."

The three brothers didn't know that the flat grill had been heating up in front of them. Sulu put his apron back on, pulled out two knives from the butcher block, and placed one to each side of the cutting board. He then pulled out a long knife sharpener and started sharpening one of the knives.

The three brothers' eyes widened as Sulu sharpened the blade up and down the file, talking the whole time:

"It's so nice to finally meet Charlene's brothers! She talks about the three of you all the time. She told me about her childhood and that you guys practically raised her."

Sulu took a peeled onion and started to dice it; then he dumped a large bowl of rice onto the corner of the heating griddle and it started to sizzle. The brothers watched Sulu's hands as he meticulously sliced the onion with precision, then flicked the knife onto the cutting board, which made a whacking sound, startling the brothers. Sulu took out two spatulas and stirred the onions into the rice, making a mountain. He continued talking as he cooked.

"You know, Charlene was worried that you guys wouldn't like me, but I said that was ridiculous. I told her, 'Your brothers raised you and looked out for you; they will give me a chance. And another thing, I'm a nice guy—your brothers would want you with a nice guy. And I'm that guy'!"

Sulu flipped and twirled the spatulas in his hands and then scooped the rice to the side of the grill as it continues to slow cook. He picked up the knife and a zucchini; he sliced it in half, threw it into the air and sliced it into julienne wedges as it landed in the middle of the grill. Then he added mushrooms, butter, and soy sauce as he continued talking. The three men, barely heard him—they were watching the fancy juggling of Sulu's knife and spatulas. The men were speechless, amazed and, truth be told, just a tad scared about how he handled the knife.

"I just want you to know that I have Charlene's best interests at heart; she is a one-of-a-kind woman; that's what I like about her."

He flicked the knife back onto the cutting board, and the three men tensed.

"Have I told you that I collect knives and swords? I'd better let you know that about me. They say I'm an expert with a knife, but I prefer swords, I'm a swashbuckler at heart. People have mention that I could take out a person with one. I wouldn't know; I've never tried it." Sulu looked at the men. "But I have come close when my temper was up! Charlene says I have too many and should give it a rest. She's the only woman I know who likes my collection. But it's my hobby, so I should keep them. I practically have a warehouse of swords and knives from all kinds of cultures."

Sulu leaned toward the brothers, pointing with the knife: "You know? I have a sword from the 19th century Civil War in the United States! But it's a replica; you can only find the real antiques in museums."

Sulu went back to chopping—broccoli this time—tossing it onto the grill, flipping the knife onto the block, stirring the vegetables into the rice again, and flipping the sizzling concoction with spatulas. The three men started to feel a bit apprehensive about the way Sulu threw his knife around, so they sat there in silence.

"Hey, you must be hungry. Let me start you off with a ginger salad. I made it."

Sulu went to the replicator and pulled out three bowls of salad, retrieved three forks, and placed them in front of them. The brothers looked at the nicely arranged salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and light ginger cream sauce on top. They looked at each other, wondering if it was safe to eat. They slowly picked up their forks and dipped into the salad. Sulu smiled and went back to cooking. Curiosity mounting, finally, one of the brothers braved a question after trying the salad and finding it quite tasty.

"Are—are you the cook or something on a starship?" Curtis asked.

Marcus kicked him for asking a stupid question.

Sulu chuckled: "Oh no! I'm the helmsman, a damned good one, too! I have been flying since I was in high school; they say I'm sort of a daredevil. But I have to tell you that it did take me a while to learn to maneuver a Constitution-class starship. Now that's no joke; that's a serious SHIP!"

Sulu took another knife, and Darren and Curtis leaned away from the counter, thinking that they may have insulted him. Sulu took some synthetic processed substitute meat (made out of vegetables) from the replicator and started cutting off thin slices and putting them on the grill to cook. Then he added a pile of Japanese noodles and a splash of sake for flavor.

"Sulu! This salad is great!" Marcus raved.

Thank you. My family taught me how to cook; they said it's important to know some basic cooking skills in case you ever find yourself on your own. But Char and I take turns cooking when we're on leave. I have to tell you that I now love sweet potato pie and black-eyed peas with white rice. OH WOW! I couldn't stop eating the stuff!"

Sulu took another knife from the block and sliced a lemon up so fast that the brothers barely saw the blade move; he again flicked the knife onto the block, again startling the men. They watched him squeeze lemon juice on top of the meat, add some seasoning, and use the spatulas to stir and flip the food. Sulu took two knives and used crisscross cuts to cut the meat on the grill into smaller chunks; he paused with a knife in each hand and looked up at Charlene's three brothers, taking a moment to look each one in the eye.

"I know you are Charlene's brothers and you watch out for her because she's the only girl in your family. If you accept me as your brother, I'll be watching out for her too! I'll be helping you protect her while she is in space, so you won't have to worry. I'll be an extension to your family for looking out for her. I can do this if I'm your brother-in-law. So, what do you say?"

It didn't take much convincing; the three brothers had been watching slice-'n'-dice with the sharpest set of knives. They didn't want to challenge Sulu with those weapons in the room. The brothers turned and gave each other a knowing look; the man had demonstrated that he could look out for their sister and the conversation was so one-sided that they couldn't protest at all. And the way he talked about their little sister was endearing. They all nodded their heads toward Sulu, offering their approval.

"It seems you respect and care for Charlene, and if you want to help us look out for her, we accept you as our future brother," Darren said, humbly extending his hand. Sulu flicked both knives onto the block at the same time, making the brothers almost jump out of their skins. Sulu wiped his hand on his apron and shook Darren's hand in agreement.

"Thanks, Darren."

"Do you know karate?"

Sulu laughed. "Yes, I've been teaching Charlene some new moves."

Charlene came in dressed in a two-piece yellow mid-thigh dress. The top came down to her midriff. She greeted her brothers with a big smile:

"Darren, Curtis, and Marcus! You made it!"

The three men turned to see their little sister and saw a shapely woman with curves. Her hair was still short but it was styled into finger-waves that framed her glowing face. The brothers' eyes widened in shock; it had been a couple of years since they had seen her and they were amazed at their sister's sexy transformation. Darren's brows drew into a deep frown.

"What is that you're wearing?" he snapped.

Charlene stopped and placed her hands on her hips: I better be wearing clothes!" She continued walking toward Sulu and pulled him into a hug.

"Says who?"

"Says Eve Brody, my personal designer," Charlene snapped, giving Darren the evil eye.

Sulu leans down to kiss Char on the cheek.

"Honey, do you mind getting the plates and forks? Your brothers adopted me into the family!"

She turned to her brothers and smiled at them, knowing that it was a big deal for them. And they knew how much their approval meant to her.

"Thanks, guys, I love you too!"

* * *

**A/N:** I hope I haven't offended anybody's culture or ethnicity in this story. I did live in Japan and I worked with a Japanese family, that helped broaden my vision. If I had please forgive me, that is not my intention when writing this story.


	3. Chapter 3-All in the Family

Chapter 3  
Charlene's Diary

Beta Reader: Jsilvers2000

**All in the Family**

If you have ever been engaged, the worst trial for any person is meeting the family. Regardless of background, upbringing, and social or economic status, it's the biggest trial for any future spouse.

* * *

So here we are:

"_Kon'nichiwa_ [hello]."

"Colnnich-iwa."

"Close, but try again: kon-nich-i-wa."

_"Kon'nichiwa."_

"Perfect! You got it! Now try this: _O genki desu ka_ [How are you]?"

"O ghe-nki de-su ka."

"Try again: O-gen-ki de-su- ka."

"_O genki desu ka__."_

"Yes! Babe, you are doing really well!

"This is the response to it: _O kagesama de genki desu_ [Thank you, I am fine]".

"What?"

"_O kagesama de genki desu.__"_

"'Karu, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to learn Japanese. It's hard!"

"Char, you are doing really well. With Nyota and I helping, plus using the language modules daily, you'll speak more fluently than me in a couple of weeks."

"'Karu, it's not that. Do you think your family will like me?"

Hikaru leaned in to give Charlene a supportive kiss.

"Yes, they will LOVE you and accept you too. I took a big risk when I cooked for your brothers. They were huge!"

"You threatened my brothers; they were scared of your knives," Charlene chuckled.

Hikaru laughed too. "Do you think I scared your brothers? I thought I was getting along with them."

"I don't care! It worked. They were bullies growing up, and it would have been funny seeing my sexy man chopping them down to size." Charlene drew closer, hugging his waist and laughing.

Sulu looked into Charlene's eyes: "I have one more phrase for you to learn:

"_Daisuki desu.__"_

"dai-suki des-u." And what does that mean?"

"It means I love you!" Hikaru leaned closer and gave his fiancée and showed her the meaning with a deep 'I love you' kiss.

* * *

The Enterprise was in spacedock again, awaiting the installment of some new instruments and the subsequent inspection. Most of the crew were released for another extensive shore leave, this one on Earth. Charlene and Hikaru decided to spend their leave in San Francisco again.

Yuki, Hikaru's younger sister burst into the family room with excitement.

"Mother! Hikaru is coming home again! This time he's bringing his girlfriend!"

Hana sat up from reading and almost dropped her Padd. The last time Hikaru had visited, he hadn't stayed long. Hana had thought that Hikaru had not visited for a suspiciously long time; now, listening to Yuki, she surmised that his girlfriend was the reason for his absence.

"Do you know when?"

"Yes, in two days, and he wants us to meet his girlfriend this time! I can't believe flyboy got a girl!"

Hana looked at her daughter quizzically. "Why, Yuki, your brother is a handsome man!"

"Hikaru? Mom, when it comes to girls, he's the shyest thing; he even loses his voice when he tries to talk to a girl," Yuki laughed.

"Let me contact your Aunt Mayu; he probably wants to use her house again."

Hana got up and puttered over to the com-link to inform Mayu of Hikaru's arrival, thinking that if he was going to introduce this girl to the family, then it must be serious.

"I better let your Uncle Masa know as well; he hasn't seen his nephew in several years."

"Mother, aren't you curious about the girl Hikaru is bringing home?"

"No, not really. Is she in the Starfleet too?"

"Yes. He said her name is Charlene and she works in Engineering, a real mechanic."

"She sounds interesting."

"I hope so! I can hardly wait."

* * *

A few days later, the Sulu family gathered to await the arrival of Hikaru and Charlene. Uncle Masa, was brother to Hosato, Hikaru's father. When his father passed on, Masa had stepped in to help raise his nephew and niece with great pride. Hikaru was only 15 years old at the time. Masa is married to Mayu, who let Hikaru borrow the house the last time he and Charlene came to town.

The three women hastily ran around the house, making sure everything was ready for the event. There was excitement in the air, food on every table, and soft music playing in the background.

"Sister, do you think Hikaru has selected someone from our culture?" Mayu asked.

"I doubt it—assuming she's in Starfleet, which is made up of an assortment of people from all different cultures and planets. I predict it's someone outside our culture. It doesn't matter to me, Mayu. My son has found someone to make him happy. His father and I always wanted that for him."

Hana looked curiously at her sister-in-law: "Is there something wrong?"

Mayu took a deep sigh: "I hope not. I too want the best for our nephew."

The two older women clasped their hands in hope.

"How is Yuki doing with her studies?"

"She is doing well. She is here on a break from university and has been helping me as well." Hana took a deep breath: "I'm proud of my children. They have taken a productive path, which is what most mothers hope for, and they both have their health. I am content."

Mayu gave Hana a hug and a smile: "Then I share in their happiness."

"It is I who must thank you and Masa for helping me raise them since Hosato's passing."

* * *

Meanwhile, Charlene and Hikaru were at Mayu's second house, tinkering with an old hoverbike.

"This was my first bike, and it took me a whole summer to raise the credits to get it."

Charlene took a good look at it, seeing potential: "It looks like it still has some mileage in it. Let me take a look."

Charlene knelt and started jiggling the alternator, computer relay panel, and wiring, 'Karu smiled with pride as he watched her work, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. _My girl can fix almost anything._

"There, I think I fixed it!" Charlene, wearing a dress, straddled the bike, hiking up her skirt almost past her upper thighs. She gave it a little gas and pushed the starter; thick black smoke puffed from the exhaust system.

'Karu's eyes lit up and he forgot the bike when he saw her dress move up her body. When he saw her long, brown muscular thighs hugging his bike, he almost lost it.

Charlene looked up with a big smile, proud of her accomplishment, as the engine rumbled.

"See? It still has life."

"Char, if you keep that up, we won't make it to my family's place," he said seductively, with hooded eyes.

Charlene looked at her position on the seat, and a seductive smile spread across her face.

* * *

Sometime later, Hikaru and Charlene walked hand in hand up the steps to the old-style Victorian row house.

"Wow, 'Karu! This house is nice!"

"Mom lives here alone, but my sister Yuki comes home from the university to help out."

They paused in front of the door. Charlene took a deep breath. 'Karu looked at his fiancée, smiling and squeezing her hand.

"It's going to be okay, Babe."

Charlene gave him a weak smile: "I believe you," she said, returning the squeeze.

'Karu rang the bell.

They heard the soft padding of footsteps, and then the door opened to reveal Hikaru's mother, who greeted him excitedly:

"Hikaru!"

She wrapped her arms around her son in a tight embrace. Sulu returned his mother's hug and then quickly performed the customary respect bow.

"It is so good to see you, my son! How is your health?"

"I'm well."

"Come on in—OH, OH! I'm so excited, please, please!"

'Karu took Char's hand and led her across the threshold.

"Mother, I want to introduce Charlene Masters to you."

Hana stepped back for a better view of the woman standing behind her son and saw an attractive woman with coffee-colored skin. Her smile was bright and she had deep brown eyes and short wavy hair (finger-waves).

"Welcome to my home, Charlene!" Hana stepped forward and performed the respect bow, which Charlene returned.

"The honor is mine, Mrs. Sulu."

"Please, child, call me Hana." Hana grabbed one of Charlene's hands and led her into the living area, where the rest of the family was sitting. When Hana brought Charlene in, everyone stood up. Hana politely introduced her to the family:

"Charlene Masters, this is my daughter, Yuki, my sister-in-law, Mayu, and her husband, Masa."

The two women quickly bowed and Charlene did as well.

"Welcome to our home, Charlene," the women said together.

Yuki asked Charlene, "Would like something to drink?"

"Yes, Yuki, I would!"

"Follow me." Yuki grabbed Charlene's hand and led her to the kitchen.

'Karu stood with his mother, aunt, and uncle, and bowed before them. His eyes were focused on his uncle.

"Uncle Masa, I hope I find you in good health?"

"I'm well, as I should be, and you, nephew?"

"I too am well and content with my choices in life." 'Karu was concerned and saddened by how his uncle had treated Charlene.

Mayu gave her husband a sharp look: "Masa, the girl is here to join us for dinner; let us treat her as our honored guest."

Hana shot a concerned look at Masa and led Hikaru to the dining area.

"Hikaru, go freshen up with Charlene while we set the table."

Hikaru intercepted Charlene in the bathroom as she finished drying her hands.

"'Karu, how am I doing? I feel nervous."

He gave her a reassuring hug: "You're doing fine; my mom likes you!"

"She does?"

"Yes, she does," he said, kissing her on the forehead.

"Let's go eat."

The dinner was nice and everyone spoke pleasantly in English to each other, except for Uncle Masa. Once in a while he would talk in Japanese. The others would apologize to Charlene and then continue to talk in English. Masa kept to himself, refusing to speak English during the conversation. Hikaru took note of the intentional look from his Uncle, he was growing concern about his behavior. He would look at Charlene and wondered if she has noticed.

Yuki spoke the most. She had a lot of questions for Charlene about her Engineering studies at the Academy.

"Wow, Charlene, you're a pioneer! You are one of the few women in this field!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Thanks! I like building, taking things apart, and putting them back together!"

"Was it hard?"

"Yes, I had tough competition, and there was a lot of jealousy because I knew my stuff!"

"Yuki, you should see her build and restore a hoverbike. She fixed up my old one from my high school days today!" 'Karu bragged.

Yuki looked at Charlene with admiration: "I think I'll change my plans and apply to the Starfleet Academy Engineering program!"

Hikaru started to laugh at his younger sister, who had a tendency to make big changes without really considering the cost or consequences. Her mother and aunt exchanged knowing glances.

"Yuki, again?!"

"Okay, Okay, Hikaru, but her job sounds so interesting and the adventures you guys have been on are amazing."

Charlene wore gentle smile, pleased that she inspired the young girl.

When dinner was over, they served tea in the family room. Mayu was able to ask questions of Charlene about her family and was shocked when Charlene told her of her three large brothers.

"Hana! Her brothers are all over six feet tall?"

"Oh my, I think Hikaru is the tallest in our family," Hana said.

"Thanks, mother," Hikaru said, chuckling at his five feet eleven.

As they all sat around, enjoying the tea, Hana observed how happy her son was with his girlfriend.

But Masa sat in silence watching the girl. He saw the love in their eyes, saw the tenderness in the way they spoke to each other. _But is she good enough for my nephew, the shining star of this family? Hikaru is my heart and soul. This woman could take him away from me._ Then Masa broke the silence with a direct question. He spoke in his native language, addressing Hikaru.

"Hikaru! What are your intentions toward this woman? Will you marry her? Are you compatible?"

'Karu stood up and addressed his uncle, whom he considered his second father:

"I intend to marry Charlene. We are engaged. We came here to announce it and ask for your blessing."

'Karu walked over to Charlene and stood next to her; she took his hand.

"I do not know her. Is she respectable?" Masa stood up: "How do we know if she's good enough for you?"

"Masa, NO!" his wife yelled.

Hana sat in shock, holding her teacup halfway to her lips. Yuki covered her mouth in disappointment and Mayu glared at her husband in disbelief.

Charlene stood up quietly, walked toward Hana and bowed to her, the hurt plain on her face.

"Thank you for dinner; it was nice meeting you," she said in perfect Japanese. Charlene turned and left.

Hana dropped her teacup, which shattered on the floor.

Yuki's eyes widened: "She—she understood us?"

Hikaru turned to the whole family and spoke firmly, clearly struggling to rein in his feelings: "Yes! I've been teaching her." He followed Charlene out the door, slamming it behind him.

Yuki sat for a moment, feeling guilty and upset about what her uncle had said. Then she stood up: "I'm going to check on them."

Hana and Mayu bent down to clean up the broken teacup. They gently placed the pieces on the saucer. Hana slowly approached Masa; she stood up straight and spoke in Japanese:

"Masa, you are head of household, I have respected you all these years since Hosato's death. You have become a father to my children; for that I am grateful. But my son has never disrespected you and has followed all your advice. Hikaru has always respected every decision you have made for him; he is proud to call you his uncle. He only asked one thing, this one thing: to marry the woman of his choice. I see the love in my son's eyes and I see it in Charlene's. Why did you do this?"

Hana turned with tearful eyes and carried the broken pieces of the cup into the kitchen.

"Masa why? Why now!" his wife demanded.

Masa stood firm: "We don't know her. How do we know if she's good for Hikaru?"

"Masa, they were trying to help us get to know her, but you didn't let them—you didn't give them a chance—especially her!"

"But they are practically married; there could someone else more suited to him!'

"Masa! Do you hear yourself? What's wrong with the girl?"

Masa was silent, refusing to answer.

"Charlene has a career, she's intelligent, and, most importantly, she loves Hikaru!"

More silence.

Mayu took a long look at her husband of 38 years. They had come through so much, lost so much. The pain of the loss was still fresh.

"Masa, Hikaru loves you like a father. Don't do this to him! He deserves happiness. What you are doing now is breaking his heart, my heart." Tears ran down Mayu's face as she stepped closer to her husband. She placed her hands over his and looked into his eyes.

"Masa, Hikaru must live his own life; he is not Niko."

Masa snatched his hands from her, as if in pain.

"Niko is—gone, our son is gone. Please release him so you can live, my husband, so Hikaru can live his life."

Masa's face fell into lines of complete sadness, and tears formed but didn't fall. The pain of the loss of his only son was still fresh. Since Niko's death, Masa had been living his life through Hikaru, hoping he would replace his son. Mayu turned to leave her husband to collect himself. After his wife left, Masa wept quietly.

Charlene walked down the sidewalk, not knowing where she was going. She saw the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance and decided to walk toward the bridge. She turned around to see 'Karu chasing her and she slowed her pace to let him catch up and walk beside her. After a few minutes, he turned to Charlene and gave her a hug. Her tears fell the moment her head touched his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, honey, so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"He hates me, 'Karu! What did I do?" she asked between sniffles.

"Nothing, honey. I guess he wasn't ready. But I know I am ready and so is my mother!"

"How can I face him again? He thinks I'm not good enough for you."

Hikaru rubbed her back, trying to calm her.

"Char, you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm in love with you. Nothing is going to change that."

Yuki approached and kissed Charlene on the cheek and gave her a hug.

"I hope you are not offended, my new sister!"

Charlene broke into a smile: "Thank you, Yuki."

"Oh my, your Japanese is great, perfect even. Who taught you?"

"'Karu taught me the most, my best friend is fluent in most languages, and I worked through some of the Starfleet language modules."

"Our language is hard to learn, but YOU spoke perfectly—WOW, mom was impressed!"

"REALLY?!"

Oh yes, they will never pull a fast one on you, they were totally surprised you understood them the whole time when they spoke Japanese!"

Hikaru saw how his sister was trying to support his fiancée and help her fit in. He smiled at his sister, grateful she was making Char feel accepted.

Charlene frowned at 'Karu: "What about your uncle, 'Karu? I don't want to be a problem in your family."

Hikaru took a deep breath and looked into Charlene's pain-filled eyes. "I'm marrying you, not my uncle. We will be in space for years; I have to live with you, honey."

"OH, that is so—so sweet! And mushy for you, Hikaru! This is serious!" Yuki commented.

Charlene giggled at her statement. Karu gave his sister a smile and then stuck out his tongue at her.

"Come, ladies, let's head back and try to work this out."

Karu steered the ladies back up the hill toward the house.

Meanwhile, Masa was having a long, deep conversation with himself about his actions toward Charlene. He didn't hate the girl. He missed his son, Niko. Mayu was right: he was living his life through Hikaru. He did everything and more like his real son, but he was not his son. Hikaru was his nephew, whom he saw as a replacement for his lost son. He had been repressing the hurt for so long that he had taken it out on this innocent woman. Masa's heart was heavy. He hadn't meant to cause such hurt, even though he himself was still hurting from his loss after all these years. _My nephew deserves happiness too._ Masa had chosen to wallow in his sorrow. He knew he had to make amends before Hikaru left and returned to duty on the Enterprise. If he left the wound untended, it would only fester over time. It was torture knowing that his only nephew had left his house in such anger—anger that he had caused. Masa took a deep breath; he had a duty as head of the household and he needed to set an example for the family. He deeply regretted his words against the woman; after all, she was an honored guest in Hana's house and he had disrespected her.

When 'Karu returned with the women, he was ready to face his uncle and demand an apology for Charlene.

"Yuki, please take Charlene into the kitchen with mother. I'll be right back."

"Okay." Yuki gave him a worried look.

'Karu gave Yuki a peck on the top of her head and Charlene a kiss on the lips. Charlene gave him a worried look, as if she were trying to tell him not to make it worse. He gently patted her hand and left for the family room.

'Karu saw his uncle facing the window and cleared his throat to get his attention.

"Uncle Masa?"

The elderly man turned slowly toward Hikaru, to face his would-be son, his second lost son. Hikaru was everything a father could ask for in a son.

"Uncle—"

Masa cut him off with his hand and stepped forward. He bent his body at a 45-degree angle, which is the highest respect to ask forgiveness. 'Karu's eyes widened as Masa spoke:

"_Moshiwake arimasen deshita!_ [I'm very sorry for what I have done!]"

"I only wanted to treat you like my own son, and I have failed—I have failed you and your fiancée. I had no right to disrespect you or your mother's guest, it is her house. Please let me rectify my behavior."

Masa stood for 15 seconds, waiting to hear Hikaru's answer. Hikaru's eyes misted up; he saw the love in his uncle's eyes and recognized the sincerity of his apology.

_"__Arigatou gozaimashita_ [Thank you], Uncle."

'Karu turned to retrieve the ladies from the kitchen. He returned with Charlene, holding her arm. His mother, Aunt Mayu, and Yuki followed the couple.

When Masa saw Charlene this time, he performed the deep bow again and offered his apology to her:

_"__Moshiwake arimasen deshita!_ [I'm very sorry for what I have done!]"

"_Arigatou gozaimashita san__"_ [Thank you, sir].

"We are family, and we have our differences. I would like to learn more about my new niece-in-law," Masa said, smiling broadly.

Charlene didn't know what to do. _Should I hug him or say something profound?_ But she returned his warm smile.

"Your Japanese is great; I know you were taught by a great teacher!" Masa said, looking at his nephew. Masa looked around at the rest of his family and saw the warmth and happiness pouring from them. Hikaru was happy and relieved that things had turned around, and he got the blessing that he wanted.

"Come, my family, we have a big wedding to plan!"

The family gathered around and started talking about the wedding plans and 'Karu and Charlene's future together. They spoke of Hikaru's antics when he was a kid, and his mother showed baby pictures of 'Karu with spiked hair and missing front teeth, which greatly amused Charlene.

"Isn't he cute, Charlene?"

"Oh yeah, teeth and all," she said laughing harder; the rest of the family joined in.

"Oh brother, I hate those pictures!" 'Karu said, laughing too.

There's nothing like family.

* * *

**A/N:** I may not have gotten the apology exactly right, but my source is Japantalks Please forgive any translation errors.


	4. Chapter 4-So Long My Beloved

Charlene's Diary: The Masters Brothers

Beta Reader: Jsilver2000

This is a vignette focusing on Charlene's brothers that I wanted to put into her Diary.

* * *

Darren, Curtis, and Marcus Masters sat in the living room, reminiscing about their lives and careers.

Darren and Curtis run and manage a hoverbike sales and repair company. Charlene worked there when she was a teenager until she went into Starfleet. She made major contributions to the design and engineering of different models of bikes. Her two eldest brothers had become wealthy by producing and marketing the hoverbikes Charlene had designed. She had also been the pit crew when her brothers used to race. They would win trophies and awards because they had the best mechanic, Charlene, AKA 'Cha-Cha'. They were not happy when she decided to join Starfleet.

Marcus became a lawyer who devoted himself to helping the unfortunate in the community of New Chicago.

"So what do you guys think of Hikaru?"

Darren looked at his little sister and answered with a smirk, "You mean the man who tried to kill us with his knives?!"

Charlene burst out laughing. "Serves you right trying to break him down, you meanies!"

"Aw, Cha-Cha, we were just checking him out; it was our job! Mom and Dad told us to take care of you!" Curtis said, chuckling.

Charlene leaned toward Marcus, her sensible brother, and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks, Marcus! I know you understand, despite my older brothers' objections!" she said, giving Darren and Curtis the stink eye.

Curtis leaned forward and asked her, "Cha-Cha, where's your girlfriend? You know, the sexy-looking one—man, I still have dreams about her…" Curtis said mischievously.

Charlene punched Curtis in the arm.

"Ouch! What's the matter with you?"

"That's my best friend, you a**!"

"Watch your mouth!" Darren snapped.

Charlene folded her arms, saying, "He has no right to talk about my best friend like one of his bimbos!"

"Is she here on Earth?" Marcus asked.

"Is she here in San Francisco?" Darren asked.

"Is she available?" Curtis asked.

"Is she seeing anyone?" asked Curtis, who was the most stuck on Nyota. He would compete with his brothers for Nyota's attention.

Several years ago when Nyota and Charlene were on shore leave on Earth to visit family and friends, Charlene had introduced Nyota to her brothers. It was the first time she had ever seen her brothers speechless. It was a sight to see, her big, bossy brothers choking when they were introduced to the sexy Nyota. Her brothers made fools out themselves trying to get her attention. Charlene laughed at them for months when talking to them over the com-link to home. Nyota turned Charlene's brothers into boys; they did anything and everything for her attention and Nyota played it to the hilt. They would beg Charlene for Nyota's com-link address or they would fight each other over who would get to date Nyota. Charlene found it all highly amusing.

Charlene looked at her three brothers; she loved them as much as any sister could, but there were times they went too far when it concerned her decisions in life. They thought she was helpless, but she was fearless. Charlene smiled; her best friend was off the dating market.

"Yes.

"Yes.

"No.

"Yes."

The brothers gave Charlene a quizzical look and thought about her answers. All three brothers stood up in shock and said "WHAT!?" at the same time.

"She's taken?" Marcus asked.

"Who's she dating" Darren demanded to know.

"I'll take care of him for stealing my girl!" Curtis said, baring his teeth.

"First, she is with a man, a scientist as a matter of fact."

"A scientist?" they asked at the same time.

"What is she doing dating a brainiac?" Darren wanted to know.

"Nyota needs a real man, like me," Curtis asserted.

The three of them looked at Curtis, wondering why he thought he was so special.

"Yeah, right!" Darren said, rolling his eyes.

"Second, she's not _**dating**_ anyone."

"But you said she's taken," Marcus said.

"Yes I did; she's married to the scientist."

"WHAT!?" the three of them chorused.

Darren sat down in disbelief; his dream girl was gone.

Marcus had a hurt-puppy look on his face.

Curtis was upset.

"How could she do this to us?" Marcus asked.

"Excuse me, how could she do this to ME!" Curtis said pointing to himself.

Charlene looked in amazement at her brothers. _They are so full of it!_

"But worst of all, she's married to a scientist, a really nerdy guy," Darren said.

Curtis snapped at Charlene: "How could you let her do that? I told you that I liked her!"

Charlene laughed and indicated her brother with her thumb, asking: "Is he serious?"

Darren folded his arms, saying: "Yeah he's serious, the dope."

"When did she get married?" Marcus asked somberly.

"It's almost a year I think; I was her maid of honor."

Charlene looked around at their sad faces and realized they had really been attracted to Nyota. She hadn't wanted her best friend hooked up to one of her brothers; it would be like having a sister married to a brother. Charlene was uncomfortable with that thought. _YUCK!_

They all sat down.

"She was HOT!" Curtis blurted out.

Charlene punched Curtis again, telling him, "Stop saying that! Nyota is my best friend, and I consider her my sister. So, she's your adopted sister too."

After a minute another barrage of questions erupted:

"Is he good to her?"

"Does he work in Starfleet with her?"

"Is he nerdy-looking?"

"Does she love him?"

Charlene laughed again, to see her brothers humbled. It was comical to watch them react to knowing they couldn't have Nyota. Nyota had thought they were nice, but when Charlene shared how they had treated her growing up—treating her as one of the boys rather than a girl, Nyota had gone out of her way to teach Charlene how to look and act like a woman when they were on leave.

"Yes.

"Yes.

"No.

"Yes.

"Sorry guys, Nyota will never leave him or forsake him. This scientist is a keeper."

"If he's a scientist, then he's a chump!" Curtis snapped. "Nyota needs a real man; I could have shown her a good time and offered her a happy lifetime with ME. You let me down, Cha-Cha. And after all we've done for you!"

The other two brothers laughed, saying "Right, Curtis. Whatever!"

Charlene's brothers calmed down from the initial shock and became more jovial.

"Do you have vids or pictures of them? I would like to see this scientist she's married," Marcus said.

Charlene had always been closest to Marcus; he was the youngest out of the three, and he was the voice of reason in the family. She got up and went to her room, returning with her Padd, She sat between Marcus and Curtis. She touched the screen to reveal the picture of the wedding party, in which the crew members had posed with Spock and Nyota.

The brothers were shocked: "A Vulcan!?" they all asked at the same time. Charlene chuckled. The brothers knew that Vulcans are no joke; they are serious people.

"Yes, he's my commanding officer on the Enterprise, Mr. Spock. And now he's Nyota's husband. They work together on the bridge."

"Well, that's different. I know that Vulcans are two or three times stronger than Terrans!" Darren said.

"Who wants to mess with HIM?!" Marcus asked rhetorically.

Curtis sat quietly, trying to understand the attraction, looking at the woman he had had a crush on since the day he met her.

Darren crossed his legs, saying: "Well that's the end of THAT. Nyota put it to rest with the Vulcan!"

Charlene looked at Darren and Curtis as though she had missed something.

"What do you mean?"

"Vulcan is our major client for hoverbike sales; we are the only company that has the capability to produce bikes that can be adjusted to Vulcans' weight and height, as well as to their planet's gravitational levels. They are our best buyers!" Darren explained.

"We know that Vulcans are not people to piss off!" Curtis added. "On top of that, our sales increased recently because of some prince or duke or something from their planet."

"Vulcan has given us good ratings and referrals; we can't hate them," Darren added.

Charlene leaned forward with the vid of Spock and Nyota and pointed it towards her brothers for a better view.

"That's him! He's the prince of Vulcan—the man Nyota married!"

The brothers' eyes really opened, and they took another look at the Vulcan.

"Now that's deep!" Darren said.

The three of them looked at the woman they once desired and her husband and sat down in their seats. Charlene sees the lost look on her brothers, and thought to herself: _'Gross, they were really perving on Nyota!"_

'Karu came in to join his new family, carrying a tray of sake: "Here you go, my brothers: the strongest batch of sake I could find!"

Before Sulu could finish his sentence, the three brothers jumped up, each grabbing a cup and quickly drinking it. Curtis grabbed the decanter and poured more for each of them.

'Karu looked inquiringly at his fiancée:

"Did I miss something?"

"Yup; they found out who Mr. Spock is," she said, giggling at her brothers.


	5. Chapter 5-The Return of JR-part 1

Chapter 5

**Charlene's Diary**: The return of JR—Part 1

Beta Reader:Jsilver2000

* * *

Charlene's engagement to 'Karu is threatened by a dangerously seductive woman from 'Karu's past!

As 'Karu and Charlene packed up to end their shore leave, they sat on the back porch of his Aunt Mayu's house. They discussed the events that they shared with both families about their engagement.

"I'm so glad that the family drama thing is over; it takes a lot out of you!"

"I totally agree, sweetheart. My uncle was tough! I did not see that coming. He shocked me when he objected to our engagement."

"I wonder what changed his mind?"

"I think my aunt had something to do with it; she's something!"

"Well, our shore leave is over. According to my notifications, the Enterprise has had its dilithium crystal array upgraded, requiring a new console to be installed in Engineering. I bet Mr. Scott will want to check that the crystals and the controls are working properly before we warp."

"Yeah, you're right. Captain Kirk will want to do test runs before we leave the Sol system. No screw-ups on new equipment."

'Karu turned to Charlene, smiling: "I put in our request to be stationed together; I'm just waiting for Starfleet to approve it. I believe they will grant it."

"That would be wonderful. I mean, it's the beginning of our lives together. Thanks, 'Karu. I love you!"

Charlene leaned in and gave him a passionate kiss.

"Well, with that, let's make the most of the time we've got left here," 'Karu said seductively. He stood up and led his future wife to back into the house enjoy the last part of their shore leave.

* * *

"All systems check for the testing of the dilithium crystals, Mr. Scott," Charlene said, handing Scotty her Padd so he could verify her work.

"Good job, lass! Now let's test-run all the components connected to the new array. I'll give the Captain the OK. Notify Kyle that I want all systems to be monitored for any differentiation from their nominal levels from the bridge."

"Yes, sir; I'll get Kyle on it."

* * *

"Mr. Sulu, reconfigure your astrogator settings and recheck your warp factor panels," Spock ordered.

"Yes, Mr. Spock. Right away!" Sulu got up from his chair and pulled out his toolbox to unscrew parts of his helm panels.

"Mr. Chekov, with the new installations in engineering, check your plotter controls and verify that they have been their updated."

"On it, Mr. Spock." Chekov too left his chair and pulled out a Padd to check the circuitry at his station.

Lt. Uhura left her station to give Mr. Spock a Padd. "Mr. Spock, these are the updates on the new personnel assigned to the Enterprise.

"I also completed the work on the communication arrays and tested the new alignment to the Cygnet system; they are rebooting and should be online in 2.756 hours."

"Has the universal translator been updated?"

"Yes, the new languages have been installed and the processors have been upgraded."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. You may continue your work."

After hearing Uhura give her precise update, Chekov and Sulu looked at each other and mouthed "Wow!"

Spock was sitting in the command chair reviewing the list of new personnel arriving on the ship when a familiar name caught his eye. His brow lifted as he slowly turned to his wife, who stared at him knowingly. Through their bond, he said just one word: _Interesting._

The Enterprise headed out of space dock and accelerated to sub-light speed as it moved through the Sol system. Captain Kirk put the ship through her paces in a test run, bringing her to warp speed and having the crew perform drills and maneuvers to make certain the ship was in perfect order for its mission near the edge of the solar system.

* * *

At the end of the shift, the crew started to settle down and was looking forward to some leisure time to relax.

'Karu headed out to his fiancée's quarters; the couple was planning to hang out with friends to catch up on each others' shore leave. He reached her door and pushed the chimer:

"Hi, honey! Are you ready? You look great!" 'Karu said smiling.

"Yep, I'm ready. And thank you, you look good yourself! Where are we going so dressed up?"

"I heard they updated the bar to look more like a nightclub. I was thinking we could grab a couple of drinks and dance."

"Sounds good. Let's go!"

'Karu grabbed Charlene's hand and leaned in to give her a peck on the cheek. They took the turbolift to the lounge deck and found that everyone else had the same idea. It was packed.

"Oh wow! It's crowded, but it looks nice, 'Karu!"

"Yeah, it does. Let's try to find a table." Sulu led Charlene through the crowd, with everyone saying hello as they went. They saw a hand waving at them and started moving in that direction.

"Look 'Karu! It's Nyota and Eve—they have a spot!"

They wove themselves through the sea of bodies until they reached Nyota and Eve Brody and finally were able to sit.

"Hey, you two! Welcome to the club," Eve said in greeting.

"Wow! This place is packed, and it's nice!" Char commented.

"Honey, I'll go and get us some drinks at the bar." Sulu said with a winning smile and left.

"So how was your shore leave, Char?"

"Nyota, at first I thought it would be a disaster, but in the end, it turned out all right."

"How was Sulu's family?" Eve asked.

"Wow, at first I thought it wasn't going well, but then the family took a liking to me."

"Meeting in-laws can be a challenge," Nyota agreed.

"Where's Mr. Spock?"

Nyota sighed and smiled, saying "You know my man is not a public person; it took great courage for him to appear and speak with so many people at our reception on Vulcan."

"Your man let you go free?" Char asked, laughing.

"Uh, huh. Look, Charlene, Spock knows exactly where I am, and he doesn't have to hunt me down!" Nyota said, pointing to her head.

"How about you, Brody?" Charlene asked, laughing.

"Because of you two, especially you, Nyota, I've been receiving lots of orders for my clothing line."

"Wow, that's great, right?" Nyota asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Sarek, Nyota's mom, and many of the delegates want me to design their clothes!"

"Eve! You're an intergalactic clothing designer!" Charlene said.

"I never thought of that; you know, even some of the commanders in Starfleet are interested in my designs, Eve replied.

Sulu returned with their drinks.

"Whew, it's wild in this place!"

"Yeah, and the music isn't bad," Eve commented.

The four of them enjoyed their drinks and traded stories about their shore leaves. Char and 'Karu even strutted their stuff on the dance floor. Nyota and Eve sat back and enjoyed the view as everyone mingled in the lounge. With the music thumping and the bodies gyrating, it was magic.

Char and 'Karu came back to the table and ordered more drinks, laughing about the their dancing skills and the things they did on shore leave. It was relaxing. Two men and a woman approached, and one of the men bumped into Eve. She looked up while the man looked down.

"Excuse me, miss."

"No problem."

The woman looked at everyone at the table and gasped: "Nyota?" She then turned to look at 'Karu. "Sulu?"

The woman had shoulder-length blond hair, blue eyes, and a smooth completion. She smiled at both Uhura and Sulu. She wore a dark pink sheath dress and matching bangles on her arms. Nyota responded:

"Janice,- Janice Rand. It is nice to see you!"

"Girrrrl, it's good to see YOU, and congratulations on your marriage to Mr. Spock, for goodness sake! I've wouldn't have thought it possible!"

Nyota giggled, saying, "Nobody did; it was quite a shock!"

Charlene recognized the name right away and pressed her hands together. Sulu looked shocked; he started to stand to greet the party. Janice turned toward Sulu, giving him a big smile. She stepped forward and hugged him.

"Sulu, it's great to see you again; it's been about three years!"

"Yes, it has. Let me introduce you to my fiancée, Charlene Masters."

Janice turned to Charlene and looked her up and down. The critical glance didn't go unnoticed by Nyota nor Eve.

"Hi, Charlene, nice to meet you and congratulations!" Janice said before introducing her two guests. "I want you to meet Greg and Hector."

"Hello, ladies," they said in unison.

"Look, Sulu. I want us to get together and catch up; let me make arrangements, whatcha say?"

"Sounds great."

"Nice meeting you, Charlene. You're one lucky girl! Bye, everyone!"

Janice left with her two guests in tow and disappeared into the crowd.

"Who is Janice?" Eve asked.

"She was a yeoman about three years back," Nyota answered. "She was one of the most popular people on the ship."

"Janice and I worked in the Botany Lab together at the time. Beauregard* had a crush on her," 'Karu said, chuckling.

"Beauregard? Who is that?" Eve asked.

"He was an animal–plant that made this purring sound when Janice was around."

"Why is she back?" wondered Charlene, who was not too fond of her.

"I think she's on assignment or something," Nyota explained, taking in Charlene's crestfallen demeanor.

"Let's have fun—the night is still young!" Eve ordered, snapping her fingers and looking around at the table. "Let's all dance this time!"

The four of them headed to the dance floor and started moving to the music. But in the back of Charlene's mind, she couldn't help wondering if Janice would be a problem. She knew 'Karu had had a crush on Janice in the past. _Is she looking to start something?_

* * *

A few days later, the three senior officers were sitting in the Briefing Room after their shift had ended. McCoy was the one to break the ice; he and Spock were both aware of the former relationship between Janice Rand and the Captain.

"So, Jim, have you spoken to her yet?" McCoy asked, sitting with his arms folded across his chest.

"Spoken to whom?" Kirk asked, giving an innocent smile.

"Dr. McCoy is referencing crewman Janice Rand and your previous encounters with her; he is wondering about the status of your relationship with her."

Kirk and McCoy stared at Spock, surprised by his bluntness, however much his statement was on the mark.

"Uh, thank you, Spock. That was to the point."

"You're welcome, Jim."

Kirk gave Spock a glare, warning him not to push it. _It's just like Spock to go straight to the punch._

"Gentlemen, there's nothing to worry about. I'm not going down that path."

"Is that what you're telling yourself, Jim? McCoy demanded in disbelief. Have you seen the woman? She is still beautiful, with those blue eyes of hers and those plush pink lips. You know pink is her color."

"Shut up, BONES!"

"Just recently, I have seen her with a couple of beaus, one on each arm; she's running with the fellas," Bones said, twisting the knife a bit.

"Janice is old news; she means nothing to me."

Spock's brow shot up, and McCoy burst out laughing.

"Right, is that your story? Okay," McCoy said. Then he got serious and leaned over toward his best friend:

"Just remember what you did to her last time. You strung her along, Jim; you hurt her feelings. She left the Enterprise because of YOU. So don't start something if it's going to end up like that! If you're not interested, leave her alone! No one deserves that!"

"Why are you telling me this? Do you like her!" Jim demanded to know.

McCoy shook his head and snarled back, "It's all about you, Jim boy; it always is."

McCoy left and headed to his quarters, leaving Spock and Jim staring at the door.

Jim looked at Spock, waiting for him to comment. "Well, are you going to tell me what to do too?"

"Jim, I do not monitor human emotions or speculate on human relationships. I state the facts. It is a fact that you were involved with Ms. Rand, and the relationship was terminated. Those are the facts."

With that, Spock stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

Spock looked at his long-time friend: "Have you forgotten that I am married? I will attend to my wife now. Good evening, Jim."

Jim sat alone in the Briefing Room and reflected on his relationship with Janice. _She is still beautiful and sexy. Could we pick up where we left off? Or should we keep moving on as if nothing ever happened?_

* * *

Meanwhile, two friends were discussing the encounter with Janice.

"So who is the blonde bombshell?" Eve asked with an edge.

"As I said before, she was the Captain's yeoman for about a year; then she transferred to earn her degree."

"I noticed that she has a way with the men."

"She did have a following back then, and it looks like she has another one," Nyota said, chuckling.

"Ny, I'm gonna be honest with you. I don't trust her. There's something about her."

"I have to agree with you; I sensed something different about her."

"If she hurts Charlene in any way, I will forget that I'm a famous fashion designer and take her out!"

"I'm with you on that; we were friends back then, but I know people change. In her case, I wonder whether it has been for the better or for the worse."

* * *

At the same time in Sulu's quarters:

"Should I be worried about Janice Rand, 'Karu?"

"No, you shouldn't; there's nothing between us."

"A woman knows when another woman is checking out her man."

'Karu chuckled and pulled Charlene into a hug. "We are friends, and we shared the same interest."

"Okay, you are on notice: if she gives ANY sly or improper remarks, I'll clean her clock!"

"Char—are you jealous?"

"No, I'm just taking care of what belongs to me—making sure she knows that we are together."

'Karu saw the sparks in her eyes and realized that she was serious.

"Honey, you and I have been through a lot; old relationships, your brothers, my family—mostly my uncle. We will do this together, and there's nothing between Janice and me. So let's put that to rest!"

He kissed her cheek to comfort and reassure her about their relationship.

* * *

But Janice had other plans; she knew she had failed in her attempts to have a relationship with James Kirk. That had almost ruined her, but it had made her a stronger woman. She really wanted to try again with Sulu, but now she had found that he was engaged to Masters. Sulu had been honest and shy when they first met, and she now regretted that she hadn't pursued their light flirting. She had saved her best for Kirk, her biggest mistake. Now she was back; she now understood that Kirk was a womanizerand she had fallen for him; lesson learned. Now she wanted an honest man. She knew that men still found her attractive and she liked it.

The next day, the Enterprise did more drills and exercises to test the new equipment. But there were some glitches with the new console in Engineering, and Charlene and Scotty had to find the faulty circuits and repair them, which meant they had to work long past the end of their shift, leaving Sulu on his own in the rec room.

* * *

Which was just inviting trouble.

"Pavel, that was a good game, want to play another?"

" Sure, Hikaru; You think your vife vill let you stay out?"

"Ha ha, you're so funny. You should put together an act for talent night!"

Sulu shuffled the cards for another game. Then Janice entered the rec room wearing her short work uniform, which revealed her slim legs.

"Wow, Rand looks hot!" Pavel whispered. 'Karu turned to see Rand strutting toward them. She did look nice, and Sulu noticed that she seemed different. She smiled and sat down at their table.

"Hi, Pavel, how are you?"

"Great, Janice, and you?"

"Wonderful. It's great to be back on the ship again. How are you, Hikaru?"

"Not too bad; just playing cards with Pavel."

"Mind if I join you?"

Sulu and Chekov shrugged their shoulders; "Sure, vy not? The more, the merrier," Pavel said giving her a big grin.

"Thank you!" Janice said, sitting at Sulu's elbow. "So tell how much we're playing for?"

Sometime later, Pavel threw his cards on the table:

"Vell, I'm out!"

"Me too!" Sulu said. "Plus it's time for me to turn in."

"Wow, this was fun, Pavel and Hikaru. We should do it again," Janice said.

"That would be nice, Janice. Vat do you think, Hikaru?"

"Not a problem. I'll see ya," Sulu said, getting up to leave. "Good night!"

"Good night, Hikaru," Janice said. Then she called after him, "Hey Sulu! How about a nightcap in the lounge for old times' sake?"

"Okay, just one. I'm on duty tomorrow."

At the lounge deck, they both ordered a drink and sat at the bar.

"Janice, what did you do when you left three year ago? It seemed kind of sudden."

Janice took a deep breath and formed her thoughts before answering.

"I had to reinvent myself; I didn't want to be a yeoman forever."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"Depends on how you look at it. I made some mistakes."

Janice put her glass down and leaned toward Sulu.

"One of them was leaving YOU," she said, placing a kiss on Sulu's lips and catching him by surprise.

"Hey, wait a minute! I'm engaged!" Sulu was shocked for a second, but then he made up his mind and gave her a stern look:

"I have to leave Janice, good night."

As he was leaving, he saw a couple of other crewmen pretending that they hadn't just been looking at him and Janice. He knew this was not going to over well with Charlene. He wondered as he walked back to his quarters, why Janice kissed him, when she had the opportunity years back? Hikaru didn't know how to take this versions of Janice, his one time friend.

* * *

A/N: Star trek TOS: *The Man Trap


	6. Chapter 6-The Return of JR part 2

Chapter 6

Charlene's Diary

The Return of JR, Part two

Charlene's engagement to 'Karu is threatened by a dangerously seductive woman from 'Karu's past!

* * *

Mr. Scott, with his Engineering team of Masters, Brent, and Kyle, has been working around the clock to solve the glitch between schematic reading and alignment of the engines. Scotty refuses to use the warp drive until the problem is solved. He informed Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock that engines were under maintenance and would be online ASAP. Kirk wasn't in any hurry; he was pleased with himself for the safeguard he had placed about testing the engines when they left Earth. Plus the Enterprise had not yet been issued any assignment from Starfleet Command, who were aware of the installation of the new systems.

* * *

The next day, Hikaru went on duty without seeing Charlene. He missed her, and he was feeling guilty about what had happened the night before with Janice. He had thought about her actions for a long time; she had changed—she was no longer the fun, pretty woman he had known. The fact that Janice had kissed him in front of the crewmen in the lounge still bothered him. _I have a bad feeling about her._

'Karu sat at the helm. The ship maintained sublight speed as he performed his daily checks and logged in his report.

"Hey, Sulu! Since I'm going to be the best man at your vedding, can you let me know if you and Charlene have set a date yet?" Chekov asked.

"No, not yet. Why do you ask?"

"I need to plan your bachelor party," Chekov said, looking over at Sulu with a mischievous smile.

Sulu saw the look in his friend's eyes and instantly knew he would do something wild.

"Oh no, I can't do wild parties, Pavel, or wild WOMEN!"

"Vhy not? I promise to—to keep it harmless," Pavel said, chuckling.

"No! You forget that we've hung out together at clubs, especially on Wrigley's Pleasure Planet. I know your concept of fun. Nooo—you, are not getting me into trouble."

"Okay—Okay, I von't. You are a party pooper."

"I'd rather be a party pooper than single!" Sulu retorted, joining in Pavel's chuckling.

"Besides, my girl would really kill me if she found out some dame was hanging off my neck."

"Charlene is that tough?"

"Yes that tough and more; you haven't met her three over-six-feet brothers!"

"Vhat?!"

"Yeah, I would like to stay on good terms with them," Sulu said, chuckling. They went back to work, but Sulu still had Janice on his mind. He felt unsettled about what she had done. He needed to talk to someone soon, before things got out of hand. He could think of only one person who might guide him through this potential minefield. He turned around and looked at Uhura.

"Chekov, watch the helm."

"Sure, no problem."

He took a deep breath and went to her station.

"Excuse me, Uhura. Do you have a minute?"

Nyota took out her earpiece and looked up at Sulu.

"Sure, how can I help you?"

"I was wondering if I can talk to you in private about something?"

"Sure, when is your break?"

"About 1300 hours."

"Okay, I can talk to you then; is everything OK?"

Sulu gave a deep sigh; "I hope so."

Sulu returned to his post and continued his work.

* * *

At 1300 hours, Sulu and Uhura slipped into an empty conference room for privacy. Sulu started the conversation:

"Have you been around Janice lately?"

"No, not really, why?"

"Does she seem different to you?"

"When I saw her the first time in the lounge with you, she did seem different."

"The other night I played poker with Chekov and her. At first, it seemed like old times. We talked about the things we did when she was stationed here before. Everything was fine; we laughed and played cards. Then she asked to go to the lounge for a nightcap, then she …"

Sulu dropped his eyes to the table. Nyota reached out and touched his hand.

"What happened?"

"Janice kissed me there at the bar, in front of some of the crew. I was shocked, and she said regretted leaving me behind."

Nyota pressed her lips together. "Did you tell her that you are engaged?"

"Of course! I became upset! She sent the wrong message when the other crewmen saw us! Since then I have been feeling guilty and wondering if I should tell Charlene. But mostly, Uhura, I'm wondering why she would do that, knowing that I'm engaged to Charlene?"

"Yeah, you're right; you did introduce her as your fiancé. I had a bad vibe about her, like she's not the same Janice we knew." I'll find out her story and why she's acting this way, but YOU need to tell Charlene before some crewman blurts it out and causes more trouble," Nyota said, pointing an index finger at him

"Char has been pulling double shifts since they called her back to check the alignment of the engines. I haven't seen her."

"Find out when her shift ends and do something romantic; show her how important she is to you before you tell her about the bad scene in the lounge."

Sulu asked, "Do you think it's that bad?"

"Knowing my best friend all these years? Yeah, it's serious!"

"Thanks, Uhura!"

"No problem; just make sure she knows!"

"I will!"

* * *

Sulu went to find out when Charlene would be off duty and sent her a message inviting her to a late dinner. While Sulu was hanging out in the rec room waiting for Charlene, he noticed Janice with a group of men talking and laughing. She was out of uniform and she looked nice. Then Janice turned his way, winked at him and gave a slow wave that sent chills down Sulu's spine. He got up and left the rec room. As he went, Sulu noticed the stares. _This is not good at all!_

* * *

Charlene changed into her technician uniform to crawl into the access space in the Jefferies tube. There, she and Kyle relayed and reconfigured circuitry and double-checked their connections. All the top engineers had done double shifts to complete the work, and Mr. Scott had sent his tired crewmen to get some rest. By this time, Charlene hadn't seen 'Karu in 52 hours. She was tired and went straight to bed without taking off her clothes.

When Sulu got to her quarters, there was no answer to the chime., so he entered her code. The door slid open. He walked into the dark room and he heard her soft breathing. The night-light gave off enough light to allow him to see Charlene's sleeping form. He knew she had worked long, hard hours in Engineering. Sulu took off his boots, walked toward her bed and lay down next to her, spooning her. He gently kissed her neck; she moaned, moving her body closer to him and Sulu drifted off to sleep.

When Sulu woke up, the bed was empty, but he heard the sonic shower and Charlene's humming. She came out with a smile on her face.

"Hi, honey! Good morning!"

"Good morning, Char!" He got off the bed and saw the chronometer. "Oh, I have time before reporting for duty. Honey, do I have a spare uniform here?"

"Yes, 'Karu, in the closet," she said, pointing.

"Listen, I need to tell something, so just listen while I get ready, please!"

Charlene saw the concerned look on his face, and it gave her a bad vibe. "Sure, babe."

Sulu jumped up and ran into the shower to get ready. They kept toiletries in each other's quarters in case of emergencies. This was one of them. Charlene continued to get dressed while 'Karu showered. He came out and started to dress.

"Char, what I'm about to tell you might make you mad. I want you to stay calm and be a lady for me. You do love me, right?"

Charlene felt her stomach tighten. "Yeah, babe. What happened?"

The other night, I was playing cards with Pavel and Janice in the rec room. When the game ended, she asked me to join her for a nightcap. We went to the lounge and had drinks—and then—then she kissed me."

"On the cheek?"

"Uhm, on the lips"

"I'm gonna kill the bit*h," Charlene snarled as her hands balled into fists.

"Char—you promised!" 'Karu said grabbing her shoulders. Charlene tensed with anger and started to take deep breaths to calm herself. 'Karu pulled her into a hug and looked into her eyes.

"I'm telling you that nothing happened, but she made me feel uncomfortable. She's not the same woman I knew years ago. She acts like she wants to pursue me, and that's not like her. What makes things worse, she does it in front of the crew."

"She's trying to break us UP!" Charlene snarled. "She's jealous because she missed her opportunity with you!"

"I don't know what her motives are, and I don't care. I care about how you're going to react, knowing about it and possibly hearing about it from the crew."

Charlene looked into his eyes and saw that he was concerned she might actually kill the bit*h. Her breathing quieted as she tried to think_. __How am I going to deal with Janice?_

"For the record, I'm not attracted to Janice in any way, shape, or form. I did tell Nyota what I told you."

Charlene believed him. That he had told Ny was reassuring and strengthened her trust in him. She sagged in his arms and rested her head on his bare chest.

"Thank you for telling me, babe."

'Karu gently kissed her. "Let's get to work before we get written up!"

They both hurried to get ready for duty.

* * *

Mr. Scott coordinated with the bridge and Auxiliary Control to do test runs on the engines, Mr. Spock had all departments report and prepped them for the test runs. Kirk executed the plan and the ship zipped across the sector with ease. The Engineering team was relieved to find that everything checked out; reports were completed and handed in to both Mr. Spock and the Captain. At that point, Kirk was waiting for their next orders and the crew had downtime again.

Things were still brewing with Janice Rand and certain crewmembers. The Engineering team was down for some much-needed rest.

* * *

Nyota promised Sulu that she would find out what's was going on with their former friend, Janice Rand. She chimed her door and it opened.

"Hey, Nyota. Come in."

"Good evening, Janice, and thanks."

Janice took note of Nyota's demeanor and suspected something was up.

"Is this a friendly visit or something else?"

"Yes, a friendly visit to an old friend."

"Then come and sit and tell me what's on your mind."

Janice led her to a set of lounge chairs near her desk.

"How have you been, Janice, since you left us?"

"I'm back at the Academy to finish my degree in administration; it's coming along well. Tell me how you hooked Mr. Spock," Janice said with a smile.

"I technically fought a couple of women for him and I won, so basically Mr. Spock is my prize or trophy," Nyota said with winning smile. "And he likes it."

"Sounds kind of cavemanish."

"More like cavewomanish. I don't like a woman looking over or prospecting my property—or anyone else's." Nyota glared at Janice and noticed her demeanor.

"I knew there was something mysterious about that man," Janice said, sighing. "So what brings you here?"

"Nothing really. I'm just trying to figure you out. There's something different about you."

"I'm not stupid anymore, if that's what you mean. I grew up after leaving the Enterprise, so I made sure to put myself back in school and waited for orders to complete my internship. A lot of stuff at Starfleet Command got changed at the last minute."

"Are you seeing anyone seriously or are you checking who's out there? I notice you've attracted a lot of new beaus."

"No, why do you ask?"

Just checking. Well, it's really good to see you again."

"That's it? I thought you were here to talk about Sulu."

Nyota stood and walked toward the door, then turned to glance at Janice. "I thought I just did," Nyota said as she left.

Janice stood there and reflected on what Nyota had just said; she had just been told to back off Sulu. She sighed deeply and sat down.

* * *

Later, Eve, Charlene, and Nyota met in Eve's quarters for some much-needed girl time. They wanted to have a quiet nightcap before turning in.

Charlene sat with an intense look on her face, thinking about Janice Rand making moves on her man.

Eve and Nyota were looking at her, waiting for her to bust.

"What's with her?" Eve asked, as she sipped her wine.

"Just a little upset," Nyota replied, twirling her drink in her hand.

Charlene turned to Nyota and snapped, "I have a right to be upset. That blonde bombshell tried to make moves on MY man! I don't want to scratch her eyes out; I want to PUNCH her eyes out!"

Eve and Nyota were a little shocked by Charlene's vehemence. "Charlene, calm yourself! We got your back! The most important thing is that you believe and trust Hikaru," Nyota told her.

"Yeah, I agree with Ny. All this means is that Janice finds your man attractive, and that's a compliment to you."

"So, why is she trying to draw my guns anyway?"

"Some women are not happy with themselves, so they do stupid things to get attention," Eve opined.

"And I did speak to her about her behavior toward Sulu, and I used the cavewoman mentality," Nyota added.

"Did she get the message to leave my man alone?"

"I believe so, so put your guns away and let's have some girl time," Nyota said.

"Now that we've got that cleared up, I'm ready to do your manicure and show you my new dress design," Eve said. "Also, Charlene, I have something that will cheer you up."

"What?"

"I found some dresses for your wedding!"

Charlene ran over to Eve, saying "What are we waiting for? Where are they?"

When Charlene saw the dresses, she was stunned by how exquisite they were, and they did distract her from the issue with Janice. But in the back of her mind, she knew that it wasn't over.


	7. Chapter 7-The Return of JR part 3

Charlene's Diary, Chapter 7: The Return of JR—Part 3

Beta Reader:Jsilver2000

* * *

**The Truth of it All**

Janice sat in her quarters, alone. She hated being alone. She was swigging a bottle of whiskey straight, feeling miserable about the situation she had created. She could have had any man she wanted—any but one. She brought the bottle to her lips.

"Here's to you, Jim Kirk," she whispered, before swallowing down the strong drink.

Janice had tried to forget him, but he was in her skin, wearing her like a second glove. Her eyes were puffy from crying. She didn't know how to shake his hold. She had known his reputation before she got involved with him. She thought about the women he had flaunted in front of her—the women who had told her their stories of their sexual escapades with Kirk, yet she still couldn't shake him. She thought to herself, _"Why can't I get rid of you? I wish I could forget you!"_

Janice had tried dating other men; it would work for a while, but then she would remember how Kirk's kisses had melted her lips and body. On top of it, Nyota her one time friend at the time, had gotten married, and Hikaru also her friend was engaged; the contrast between their happiness and her own misery made it hurt even more. Nyota was married to Mr. Spock _"__What a match!"_

Janice could never figure out that Vulcan; she just knew that he was best friends with Kirk. Nyota, with her winning personality and sexy figure, had gotten the Vulcan._"And they look happy! What the fu*k?!"_ Another crying jag started. _"I just need to make it though one more week on this ship once the orders come in,"_ she thought.

Then there was Sulu. When she had been stationed on the Enterprise the first time, she had known he had a crush on her, but she played it off as friendship, her eyes were on one person at that time 'Kirk'. Letting Sulu go had been her biggest mistake, because he was a sure thing. Although she had considered him more of a friend then, now it seemed to her that he was fair game. Now that she had become the hunter, instead of the prey, she wondered what kind of man Hikaru really was._"Not bad looking, nice personality; I wonder if he's good in the sack?"_ She had tried to pursue a relationship by getting close to him, trying to make up her mistake. But now Nyota had warned her to back off. Janice didn't really know Charlene at all, but they had both found love on a ship—a shipboard romance is a tough act to follow, but Janice wanted somebody to love. Janice stumbled to her bed and sat on the edge, wondering how she would handle Jim, her former lover, on this slow motion destination. Her heartaches, body aches, and a headache all attacking her at once, she dropped the bottle on the floor and curled up on her bed, hugging her pillow and crying herself to sleep.

* * *

Captain Kirk was resting in his quarters. He had received orders from Starfleet Command to proceed to Starbase 15 for supplies and to drop off personnel. Kirk sat in his quarters wondering about Janice. He didn't like how their relationship had ended either, but he needed to focus on the Enterprise. He couldn't afford distractions like the rest of his crew. He clearly remembered how Bones had spoken to him. Kirk put his Padd down on his desk and lay down on his bed, thinking about how to approach the situation. He had heard rumors that she been dating and flirting with other men. Somehow she had even attracted the attention of Sulu, her old acquaintance, but he was engaged. _"She isn't having an affair with Sulu, is she?"_ he wondered. Kirk sat up, grabbed his Padd, and went back to work, shaking off the distracting thoughts.

* * *

The next day, Charlene was working in Engineering as if she were a robot. She was going though the motions and trying to focus, but her mind kept wandering back to _**that**_ woman—a woman determined to take her man away from her. Janice had made a bold move, and it made a bold statement. The wedding dresses had distracted her the previous evening, but now her concerns had returned, even though Nyota had spoken to Janice.

"Masters."

"Masters!"

Finally, Scotty shook her shoulder. "Masters, lass, what is wrong with ye?!"

Charlene snapped out of it and looked up at the Chief of Engineering.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Scott!"

"The way yer gripping that Padd in yer hands says something else! What's wrong there, lassie?"

Charlene looked down and saw her hands tightly gripping her Padd. She slowly relaxed her hands and looked up at Scotty.

"Sorry, sir! I wasn't aware that I was deep in thought."

"Has something happened between ye and Sulu? I canna have drama down here with my bairns," Scotty told her, pointing at the antimatter console.

"OH NO, SIR! Sulu and I are great."

"Then back to work, lassie," Scotty said, turning to head back to the main console.

Charlene was chagrined; she had never before let a relationship interfere with her job. And now she had, thanks to Janice making a move on her man. _"At least Scotty reprimanded me in a nice way,"_ she thought. She looked down at her monitoring Padd and went back to work.

* * *

On the bridge, Chekov and Sulu were at their posts, monitoring their course, when they overheard a conversation: two crewmen were whispering about someone, a very beautiful someone.

Lt. Kyle leaned toward Lt. Brent and said, "Wow! Janice Rand is some woman—a lot of men are attracted to her."

"She is beautiful," Brent replied. "I always see her with a different guy. She's definitely playing the field."

"Maybe she hasn't found the right man yet—a man who can really treat her like a woman."

The men stopped talking when they saw Lt. Uhura walk in their direction. They both stood up and pretended that they were working. Uhura walked by them intentionally to put a stop to their conversation. She stopped at the environmental control console with her Padd and asked Lt. Riggs a question.

"Any updates for the Captain?"

"All systems nominal, Lieutenant."

"Thanks for the report, Riggs."

Uhura went down the steps to Sulu's station and stood in front of the helm, between him and Chekov. She looked at the giant monitor as the stars passed by on the screen, and then she slowly turned to Sulu and gave him a look, which he acknowledged with a nod of thanks. Both men gave their reports:

"Maintaining course, Lieutenant."

Sulu was grateful that Uhura had interrupted the unwelcome conversation. He still thought of Rand as his friend, and he wondered whether something was bothering her. But he was not willing to do anything that could risk his relationship with Charlene. _"Maybe Char and I can do something together to break the ice,"_ he wondered.

Uhura walked up the steps to the science station, where her husband was busy working. Sensing her presence, he turned to acknowledge his wife as she handed him the updates on her Padd. During the exchange, his fingers lightly grazed hers, and a tingling sensation ran up her arm and jumped to her spine. She kept her eyes hooded to cover her surprise and delight that her husband would engage in foreplay while on duty. She sent a thought through their bond:

_"You will pay for that."_

_"Indeed!"_

Uhura walked away with a big grin on her face.

Duty finally ended for the alpha shift, and the bridge crew headed out to their various off-duty activities.

* * *

Later that evening, the girls decided to hang out in the rec-lounge, which had a more subdued atmosphere versus the bar lounge and was therefore more conducive to conversation .

Eve gave Charlene a close look and said, "Char, I hate to say this, but you look really tired."

Charlene placed her fists against her cheeks: "I'm okay, just frustrated. I'm reading too much into the situation, and I can't help it."

"You shouldn't let it get to you."

Charlene looked at her two friends: "Listen, my relationship with 'Karu is the most meaningful one I've ever had. To find a man that totally into you—it's hard. This thing with Rand bugs me so bad!"

Nyota gave Charlene a shoulder bump: "It's going to be fine; you'll see."

*Yeoman Rhonda Evans, wandered over in an obviously jovial mood:

"Hi, ladies! I see you three are out and about!"

All three ladies rolled their eyes at the appearance of Rhonda, the troublemaker. She had continued to dog them since Nyota's marriage to Spock.

"If you start something, Rhonda, I'll forget that I'm an officer and take you out!" Nyota challenged.

"Uhura! I can't believe you said that, being a married woman and all," Rhonda said. "I'm just curious about Sulu—I mean he IS a man. I keep hearing things about Janice Rand on the prowl and quick kisses in quiet corners and stuff," she said, giving Char a sidelong glance. She was rubbing it in, hoping to get a reaction out of Char.

"Oh yeah? A person could find herself in trouble for spreading that kind of rumor," Eve snapped. "It's a good thing for you that Charlene is mature about such things."

Charlene was sitting in a rigid posture, looking Rhonda straight in the eye. The girls presenting a united front was all that was keeping her from losing her temper. She didn't need commentary on Janice Rand or her motives.

Finally, Charlene had an idea of how to really get to Rhonda: "Excuse me, Rhonda, I don't want to be rude, but you caught us in the middle of planning my wedding. I don't get time off to work on it, so I don't have time to listen to rumors. Do you mind?":giving Rhonda the evil eye, making sure she sees her fists were balled up.

Rhonda was taken aback, obviously surprised to find out that 'Karu and Char were getting ready to tie the knot. She managed to stammer after seeing Charlene's demeanor: "I—I wasn't aware. I'll leave you to your planning."

As Rhonda walked away in fear of her life at the look Charlene gave her, all three women breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is she still carrying a grudge against us after all this time?" Eve asked.

"Yes; she hasn't gotten over Spock choosing me and how you two backed me up before, during, and after our wedding," Nyota said, before sipping her tea.

"Ny, I really feel like kicking Janice's a**!" Char said. "I can't take it anymore! I need to find out WHY she's after my man!"

Nyota knew she needed to take another approach; she knew Eve and Charlene would beat her down otherwise. They couldn't risk an open battle again; she had promised her husband and the Captain not to engage in challenges on the ship. She had one more card to play; it involved her husband. She leaned toward Charlene: "Listen, Charlene, I think I can find a way to resolve this."

"You do Nyota? How? If I hear one more accusation about those two, I'll lose my mind!"

"Charlene, you need to stop focusing on rumors and trust your man," Nyota said giving her a no nonsense look. "He has told you multiple times you're the woman he wants. You need to let that sink in and stop overthinking the situation. It's not helping you or him!"

"Ouch—that's harsh!" Charlene snapped.

"But she's right!" Eve chimed in.

Nyota looked at her best friend: "I'm so happy you found someone like 'Karu, but you are going to find that many women are attracted to him, and you need to deal with it. You're going to marry the man soon. Some people are jealous of your relationship, I had to deal with Spock's 'club'; trust me, I had to deal with it every day!"

Charlene sighed: "I guess you're right."

"Excuse me? I know I'm right!"

The three women exchanged glances and laughed.

Then Nyota became serious:

Nyota gently shooed her away; "Now go and be with your man! Goodnight, Char."

Charlene said goodnight to her friends and left to find Sulu.

Eve looked at Nyota: "Girl, that was deep!"

"You're right, Eve, but I had to say it," Nyota replied. "Tough girl love! When you walk into a relationship, it's hard work, and there are times you have to fight to keep it."

"I know—you have to fight the drama."

"That's true—I need to talk to Spock, so I'll leave you, Eve. Have a good night."

"G'night, Nyota."

* * *

Nyota needed to talk to Spock. She had always suspected that Janice had harbored a crush on the Captain. With Spock and Jim being best friends, she had been able to make the connection. When she entered their quarters, she found Spock reading a science journal.

"Spock, darling, may I speak with you?"

"Yes, K'diwa," he said, putting aside his work to give his wife his full attention. Nyota went to him and sat on his lap.

"You know I usually don't ask about certain things about the Captain, she said. "But some strange things are happening."

"Clarify your statement."

"First, has Janice Rand ever been involved with Jim Kirk?"

"In her previous assignment to the Enterprise, Ms. Rand was a yeoman primarily assigned to the Captain," Spock said.

Nyota could tell that Spock was dancing around the question.

"Spock, I meant in a relationship."

"Every crewman at one point develops meaningful relationships."

Nyota leaned away to the side to get a better view of her husband, who was clearly trying to evade her questions. She leaned towards him and circled an arm around his back for support.

"I see I have an uphill battle with you."

"No need to go uphill at all—I have answered your question," Spock replied, arching an eyebrow.

Nyota stood up and walked a couple of steps away, then turned, folded her arms across her chest, and stared at her husband with a huff.

Spock realized that this line of questioning would lead him to a place where a husband did not want to be and made the logical decision:

"Ms. Rand was involved with the Captain three years ago."

"What happened?"

"She wanted more commitment, and Jim wanted the Enterprise. She was aware of many of Jim's extracurricular activities with other females as well. I believe that drove a wedge between them."

"In other words, Kirk broke her heart."

"I believe so. Why are you asking these questions?"

"Well, my sweet darling, Janice has changed into—as the girls in our group say—a bit*ch. She has latched on to Sulu despite being well aware of his engagement. The ship's gossip mill keeps throwing the rumors in Char's face, so now she is so upset that she is ready to do physical harm to Rand."

"I see. It would be unwise for Ms. Masters to engage in a form of contact that could affect her status as a lieutenant."

"I believe Rand is playing the diva to get Kirk's attention. But I also believe Kirk should apologize to her for his man-whoring and for breaking her heart."

"I do not understand how the situation could be so changed from what it was three years ago."

"Spock, women can be loving and compassionate one minute and then devious and revengeful the next—usually after a man does something awful. Rand has all the signs. You can check with McCoy to confirm."

"I see no reason for me to become involved in the Captain's personal relationships."

"Oh, there's a very good reason, my sweet, darling, handsome Vulcan. Because he is your friend, and I am putting you on notice that you are aware of the situation. If Masters does engage in any form of assault against Rand, it will come out that you had prior knowledge and failed to prevent it," :Nyota said innocently.

"I've just calmed Masters down AGAIN, mind you. You and McCoy are going to help your friend to avoid a disaster for all involved, but mostly for my friend, who is trying to marry Sulu! I think this has gone on too long."

Nyota sat on Spock's lap again, touching her forehead to his; "I know this is not your area of expertise, but Kirk is your friend," Nyota said. "He needs to be confronted with the truth." She lightly kissed his lips. "For the safety of the crew." She continued to pepper her husband with kisses. Nyota wanted to reward him for the mission he was about to undertake. She rubbed his shoulders and back, and her fire started to build.

Spock took a deep breath and wrapped his long arms around his wife.

"I will take action to resolve this situation as part of my duty as an officer and your husband," he said. "I will leave now to converse with McCoy."

"Now?"

"Now!"

"But I was hoping for a little love now," Nyota said, gently kissing his cheeks and lips.

"I must act while I still have the courage; I will return and continue this more pleasing mission to your heart's desire."

Spock lifted Nyota to her feet and stood up himself. He nodded respectfully and then left to see McCoy.

Nyota took a deep breath and stamped her feet: "Me and my big mouth—I was SO in the mood!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Sulu and Masters were connecting:

The couple were lying on Sulu's bed, holding each other close.

"I'm glad you decided to stop by," Sulu said. "I know you and your friends are working on our wedding."

"Yeah, me too—I had a revelation that I was being a little childish about Rand."

"You did—what do you mean?"

"I had a little help from a friend, who reminded me that I was reading way too much into things."

"I'm glad, Char, because I didn't want things to turn ugly, and I know you're trying to deal with the drama."

"Yeah, I see the picture now. How are your bachelor party plans going?"

"I already told Pavel 'no wild women', but I can never tell with that guy. He has a thing for, um, clothing-challenged women."

Charlene sat up and glared: "You tell that little Russian Casanova not to place you in a compromising position or I will take care of him like I did Jaamal!"**

Sulu laughed as he remembered the story about Jaamal: "You know what? I'm going to tell him that!"

Sulu pulled Charlene back down next to him as he continued to laugh at the thought. Charlene joined in too for a moment, but then said somberly: "But I will, 'Karu."

"I believe you, Char; I have no doubt."

"I am working on my vows; it's not my thing—they will be simple and to the point."

"Mine is too—unless I get struck by inspiration, maybe some lines from a famous poet."

"Do you—do you want to have kids someday?"

Sulu sat up and looked down at her, searching her eyes: "I would love to if you want; I'm game!"

"To tell you the truth, I'm scared about having them—I mean a little one inside of me growing."

"But, Char, I'll be with you every step of the way."

"Whew, thanks, babe! Thanks!" she said as a tear trailed down her face.

Sulu gathered her into his arms and held her: "I think we will be great parents. Our kid will be another pilot."

"Or another engineer!"

'Karu smiled seductively: "Or both!"

He pulled her closer and started to kiss her cheeks. Charlene bypassed the foreplay, pulling him on top of her and planting a sizzling kiss. Good night.

* * *

Spock dreaded confrontation of any kind, but what Nyota had said was true: if anything did happen between Rand and Masters, there would be repercussions that went beyond the two combatants. The Captain must deal with the aftermath of the relationship he'd had with Rand. He chimed McCoy's door and it snapped open. McCoy looked up at Spock and mumbled, "What in devil's name do **you** want?"

Spock walked in without an invitation and stood in the center of McCoy's quarters. The door closed. "I could've had a guest," McCoy grumbled.

Spock was about to comment but held back; he needed the doctor's assistance, not his banter.

"Doctor, I just had a conversation with my wife concerning Ms. Rand. She believes a physical confrontation is likely to occur between Ms. Rand and Ms. Masters."

"Do you want something to drink, since you pulled me out of bed and I'm half asleep? And what makes Nyota think that?" McCoy asked as he walked to his liquor cabinet and poured himself a drink.

Spock noticed now that McCoy was in his pajamas: "No, Doctor. No thank you."

"Well?"

"Nyota believes that Rand is pursuing Sulu as, in her words, 'a revenge tactic' in order to draw the Captain's attention to her once again. Ms. Masters is becoming irritated with Rand's actions and may take matters into her own hands, if nothing is done to defuse the situation."

McCoy was in the midst of taking a sip of his drink while he listened to Spock, and he stopped his glass in mid-air to comprehend his story. He started to chuckle.

"Spock, you married an amazing woman with great insight. She should become a psychologist."

"Why thank you, Doctor! My wife has insight when it comes to human conflicts."

McCoy eyed Spock mischievously: "Well, she's right—that's a piece of the puzzle; now we need to get Jim on the same page."

"Nyota suggested that a formal apology for his conduct during their last interaction three years ago is in order."

"Damn her! She's right again; a woman scorned has a hard time letting things go. And Jim has a lot of women to apologize to."

"At the moment, Doctor, we have only one on board this ship."

McCoy wished he could throw the glass at him for his last remark—_'so logical.'_

"Now that we know what the problem is, how do we get them together to work things out?"

"First, Doctor, we need to get Jim to acknowledge that Rand harbors animosity against him and that he is at fault."

"Right again. Let's find a way to get Jim to the briefing room tomorrow so we can discuss this with him and go from there. Now, Mr. Spock, may I go to bed?!"

Spock turned to leave, saying: "On behalf of my wife, we thank you, Doctor."

McCoy watched Spock leave and ran his hands through his hair: "Jim and his damned women! One day they will be the death of him."

He flopped onto his bed and thought about Uhura, she is right-smart woman, _'Damn Vulcan!'_ tried to achieve slumber again.

* * *

The next day, Masters had a much better day. She spent the day daydreaming of her and 'Karu's wedding day. She took the opportunity to browse through her Padd, looking at the wedding dresses that Eve had designed for her and finally picking something simple. She didn't care about an elaborate dress; she just wanted to be with 'Karu for the rest of her life. Charlene didn't focus on Janice; she finally got Nyota's point about letting sleeping dogs lie. In fact, she had even started to feel sorry for her and didn't allow Janice to ruin her day or affect her relationship with 'Karu. Not even Rhonda could get under her skin. She just didn't care about them anymore; her entire focus—her heart—was on one person and one person only—Hikaru Sulu.

A/N:

*Yeoman Rhonda Evans: The Battle for Spock part 2: Mr. Spock's Appreciation Club member.

**Charlene's Diary: chapter 1 'The Reckoning'


	8. Chapter 8-The Return of JR part 4

Chapter 7

Beta Reader: JSilver

Charlene's Diary

The Return of JR—Part Four

**Conclusion of The Return of JR**

* * *

McCoy and Spock finally arranged with Jim to talk about the situation in McCoy's secured office in Sickbay.

"Okay, gentlemen. You got me here; what's going on?"

Spock arched a brow, "Dr. McCoy and I have concerns about a situation, Captain."

McCoy looked at Spock and wondered if he would try to explain with a bunch of logical terms.

"Spock, let me do this, just in case he hits me. Then you can give Jim that Vulcan nerve pinch."

"As you wish, Doctor." Spock leaned back against the desk and folded his arms across his chest.

"Listen, Jim. You've probably heard that Janice has talked with the man's lady lately, and she seems to be trying to attach herself to Sulu. And you know how rumors are on this ship; they spread like wildfire. Well, this rumor found its way back to Masters, and she is about to blow her top over the way Janice is coming on to her man. The subtle approach which Nyota attempted to do, didn't work with Janice, and things are getting out of hand."

"So, what do you want me to do, tell her to stop looking at Sulu?"

"Uhura came up with the theory that Janice is still sore about you breaking up with her three years ago and that being on this ship is aggravating it."

"And again, what can I do? The woman never got over me; I do have that effect."

Spock sighed and cleared his throat, while McCoy gave Kirk an exaggerated eyeroll.

"It's all about you, Jim," McCoy said disgustedly. "What you _could_ do is apologize to the woman so she can move on and heal her broken heart. You do _have_ a heart?" he asked, poking Kirk in the chest.

Kirk thought about the relationship he once had with Janice and how it hadn't ended well. His ship had always come first, and that was still the case.

Kirk smiled and said, "What if my apology doesn't work—then what?"

"For your sake, it better work or—"

"Or what? You two will put me on report?"

Spock spoke up: "If the situation is not defused, I'll have to file a report noting that two female officers were in an altercation and that it could have been avoided if the Captain had taken action."

McCoy looked at Spock, "Well said, Spock! I can see being married to Nyota has improved your character."

"Why thank you, Doctor."

Kirk looked at his two friends with mild outrage for a moment, but then he sighed deeply and said, "I guess I'm having dinner with Janice Rand."

McCoy put his hand on Kirk's shoulder: "Good choice, Jim."

"What do you mean 'good choice'? I'm being blackmailed!"

"Captain, we merely persuaded you to choose the most logical option to avoid an unnecessary confrontation," Spock replied innocently.

Kirk gave Spock a look that said the captain was not in any way mollified by his last statement; he punched the intercom and dictated a detailed message to be sent to Rand's quarters, requesting her to meet him on the Observation Deck that night. Kirk snapped off the intercom, still feeling annoyed; he folded his arms across his chest.

"Happy now?"

"Jim, you're taking this all wrong! Masters is an excellent warp core engineer. Scott is crazy about her performance," McCoy said. "You should be happy that you have a chance to save a relationship."

Jim was _not_ happy. He was not looking forward to meeting with an old lover, a woman scorned and full of anger toward him. He wondered what would be the best way to approach her. He knew he wouldn't be able to use his old charms on her.

"Jim, just be honest with her; most women like that. That gives them a chance to break the chains," McCoy said, patting him on his shoulder.

"Okay. I need a moment alone to gather my thoughts."

Kirk turned away from his friends, but he knew they were telling the truth. He remembered the last woman who hated him; it hadn't been so long since Dr. Lester had switched bodies with him.[1] If it hadn't been for Spock, he would have been stuck in a woman's body for the rest of his life.

Spock and McCoy left Jim to gather his thoughts.

Janice returned to her quarters and checked her messages; the one from Kirk sent her into shock. She sat on her bed and replayed the message: Kirk wanted to meet with her. Janice unwound her piled hair so it fell below her shoulders. _Kirk want to see me, huh? I have a lot to say to the man-whore, the way he treated me._Janice sent a message back to Kirk to confirm their meeting later that evening. Janice lay down on her bed and took a nap; she knew she would need to be alert for her rendezvous with Kirk.

* * *

Meanwhile:

"Eve, I selected this dress for my wedding," Charlene said. She looked at Nyota and Eve: "You two can wear anything you like; I don't care if it's a polar bear rug!"

The three of them laughed.

Eve finished pinning the dress to fit it to Charlene's trim figure. "Well, thanks! I think I'll wear that palazzo pants set I wore for Nyota's party."

"If you have an extra set, Eve, I'll wear one too!" Nyota said.

"Not a problem! I can coordinate to match Charlene's theme colors. There! All done, Char. Take a look in the mirror."

Charlene carefully stepped over to the mirror and saw a different woman standing in front of her.

"Ny– um– Ny?" Charlene started shaking: "I now know how you felt when you tried on your dress! Eve, this is beautiful!"

"Girl– Char, _you_ are beautiful!" Eve replied.

Nyota laughed: "I don't think you'll be in that dress for long once 'Karu sees you in it!"

"For once I feel like a woman instead of an engineer or one of the guys!"

"I don't know what the men are looking at unless they are blind!" Eve said, chuckling.

Charlene's smile faltered and then disappeared.

Nyota picked up on her long-time friend's mood change immediately. She looked Charlene in the eye and folded her arms across her chest.

"Okay, Char. Spill it."

"Well, I don't want to hurt 'Karu's family with this." Charlene gave both women a worried look and started breathing hard.

Eve stepped forward and hugged her: "Is it the dress? I can make another one in time for your wedding."

"No, it's not the dress—I want to marry 'Karu now and not wait until we get back to Earth. I know his family is traditional, and they want all the bells and whistles. But I feel that each day we take our chances out in space. I want to be a part of his life now—just in case…"

Charlene looked toward Nyota and saw that she knew exactly what Char meant. Nyota went to Charlene and hugged her, and then took her hands in hers.

"Char, honey, there's no reason to be afraid of the future. If you want to marry 'Karu now, it's fine with us. This is your moment; Eve, and I will support you whatever you decide."

"His family wants a big to-do because he's the only son and he has an uncle that has all these big expectations. I don't want to ruin it, especially for him," Charlene said somberly.

Eve stepped closer and wrapped one of her arms around Char's shoulders. "Char, talk it over with him; he'll understand."

Charlene had been thinking of marrying him ever since they came back aboard. They had considered having a quick wedding on Earth with his family but they decided to wait about two years because that would be the only time the Enterprise would be in the vicinity of Earth for an extended period. But now things were different; Char was eager to start their life together. But would he agree to her request?

* * *

At the same time, in the ship's lounge, two men were discussing a party:

Pavel was scanning a Padd on the table, looking for a pleasure planet, while sipping his favorite drink, vodka.

"Hikaru, I found another place to celebrate your farevell party; ve are close to another club. But eet's nothing like Wrrreegley's Pleasure Planet."[2]

"Put that on ice, Pavel! I'm really not interested in a wild bachelor party."

'Karu sat with his drink, glad that the dilemma with Charlene was over. But still mulling over Janice's behavior: _I just don't understand why she would come on to me now? I'm with Charlene._He turned his attention back to Pavel, who was insisting on having a pull-out-all-the-stops bachelor party.

"I'm starting to wonder if this is more for you than me, Pavel," Sulu said, giving his young friend a sly smirk.

"Vhy yes! I vant to have fun too. Vhat's wrrrong with you, Sulu?" Pavel asked, looking concerned.

"I don't know if I should say anything; I don't want it getting around."

Pavel grinned: "I heard the rumor that Janice keessed you een this wery lounge a couple of nights ago!"

Sulu's mouth dropped open: "So it did spread through the ship. It's a good thing I told Charlene; she would've had my head."

"Hikaru, vhat's the beeg deal? Stuff ees said about everybody almost every day; eet'll die down."

"But this one hit home; my girl was going on woman hunt," 'Karu said, running his hand through his hair at the unsettling thought. _A girl fight? Hum, kind of kinky—I__'__m starting to like the idea._

"So, vill you agrrree to the bachelor party?" Chekov asked.

"That's a large negative, Pavel. I'm really into Charlene; as a matter of fact, I love her! Not risking it,"

'Karu said, shaking his head at him.

Pavel folded his arms across his chest: "I need to talk to your fiancée; thees is about trrradeetion, the groom's rrrite of passage."

"Oh, she'll give you a 'right' passage, a passage to sickbay!" 'Karu said, chuckling.

"She vouldn't rrreally do that, vould she?"

"Let me put it this way: I picked you as my best man. If she found out you gave me a bachelor party, not only would she kill me, she would also clean your clock without thinking about it. On top of that, she has three, I mean THREE, six-foot-four brothers. I promised them I would look out for her."

"But Hikaru, eet's my early geeft! Seence ve are out een space, eet veell be a year or two before ve head back to Earth. I feegured ve could heet a couple of pleasure planets and clubs to j**ust**to begin the celebration."

'Karu looked at Pavel and shook his head: "You're not giving up on this, are you?"

"NO, I'm the BEST MAN!"

"I hope I can KEEP you the best man. Charlene doesn't know about my old lifestyle. So don't go there!"

"All rrright, all rrright! Vhat a party pooper—you have changed because of Charlene!"

"I don't mind at all if I've changed because of Charlene. It's what I needed! Besides, she likes my sword collection."

Pavel slapped a hand to his forehead: "'eyi eyi' Those svords! Don't tell me she likes them?"

"She doesn't mind them. If you want to give me a party, I'll take one like Mr. Spock's."

"Mr. Spock had a party?"

"Yeah, it was small—quiet. Mr. Spock killed us all in poker. Why don't you talk to Dr. McCoy? He can arrange it for you."

"Bleh! Eet must have been wery boring with no sexy girls! I know Mr. Spock eesn't the type, but I vould have thought Captain Kirk vould have had some there for hees own entertainment."

"NO, Pavel! No girls either. I already got in trouble over one so far. I don't need repeat performance."

"Okay, okay—thees ees going to the lowest-key bachelor party I've ever attended."

Sulu shook his head at his young friend, who was totally missing the point. He finished his drink: "See you later, Pavel, and thanks for the company."

"Good night, Hikaru." Pavel watched his friend leave the bar. He reflected on their conversation about the bachelor party and shook his head in disappointment. He thought to himself: _Vee used to party all the time vhen ve were on leave—from starbases to pleasure planets. Thees woman really changed heem! If I can't take Sulu to Wrrreegley's Pleasure Planet, then I'll breeng the Pleasure Planet to HEEM!_A sneaky grin formed on Pavel's face as he started thinking of a plan to get some wild women onto the ship.

* * *

A little while later, a date was in progress:

Kirk looked at himself in the mirror and straightened his tunic for the final time before heading out the door. He ran his hand down his toned abs. Then he headed out the door to meet his fate with Janice. Dealing with women from his past was not his forte, but to have peace on his ship, he was willing to make the effort. All because Janice had trouble getting over him; he didn't really want to hurt her, but it was over. Kirk strolled down the corridor to an isolated area of the Observation Deck.

Janice finished applying her pink lipstick, her favorite; she stood in front of the mirror and twirled in her flowing pink print midi dress. _This will make or break me; I must keep control of the situation. _Janice gave herself a spritz of her favorite perfume and left to meet Kirk. She saw him amidst an array of flowers and other plants.

"Hello."

Kirk turned toward her, all smiles and charm; they had never failed him, until now.

"Good evening, Rand. We finally meet again."

Janice returned the smile: "It looks that way; what's the occasion, Captain?"

Kirk winced at hearing his title, which indicated she was still sore with him. He sighed:

"I thought we should talk and—but how is the training program at the Academy going?"

"Since I left here, I've immersed myself in my work and studies. I decided to expand my skills in order to advance beyond being an unappreciated yeoman." Janice stood with her arms folded across her chest, ready for battle. She looked Kirk straight in the eye; she wasn't falling for his charm anymore.

"Whoa, whoa, Janice! We're just having a friendly talk, that's all! Why don't you sit down and let me explain myself?"

They moved to the nearest lounge chairs and sat. Kirk opened the conversation: "I know that things didn't end well with us; I had a lot on my plate as a new captain of the _Enterprise_. Sometimes expectations can be overwhelming."

"I was aware that you were in charge of the ship, Captain. I was there to support you professionally. But you did indicate an interest in me, which I didn't mind. I did find you attractive, but I knew I was taking a risk with you being my commander."

"Yes, my intentions were not to hurt you, but in the long run it was safer that I didn't become involved in relationships among the crew."

"Well, you should have explained this earlier in the relationship instead of—making me look like a fool in front of the crew, humiliating myself over my feelings for you," Janice snapped. "But mostly you shouldn't have flaunted your relationships with other women and—" tears started to fall down her face.

Kirk jumped up and found a tissue for her tears; she wiped her eyes.

"I wish you could have been honest, Jim—I wouldn't have become the broken woman who left this ship."

She looked up at Jim and saw remorse in his eyes; she wondered if he was still the womanizer she continued to hear about after she left the ship. Jim knelt and gathered her hands together, and she continued:

"I had feelings for you, Jim, and that hurts! You have no idea how it feels to be a woman in love."

Jim dropped his head, took a deep breath, and decided to break his vow of silence:

"Yes, I have."

She looked at him in confusion: "What?!"

"Yes, I do know how it feels to be a woman. A couple of years ago, an old flame—also named Janice—found this machine that transfers consciousness between bodies. She hated me so much that she transferred my mind into her body (and vice versa) and made everyone think I was a crazy doctor sick from radiation poison. For the first time, I felt helpless, defenseless, and vulnerable—so yes, I have some idea of how it feels to be a woman."

Janice stared at Jim, her mouth open in shock at his confession.

Kirk continued: "It was Spock who saved me; if he hadn't mind-melded with me, I would've been trapped inside someone else's body, lost. Nobody would ever have known." Jim's eyes took on a faraway look. It had taken him a while to let those strange feelings go; being a woman had given him a different perspective on the female gender. "That event changed me; it caused me to respect women more. So, Janice, I am asking you to forgive me for hurting you, for not appreciating you for your worth."

The ice melted from her heart and more tears fell. Jim reached over and gave her a hug to comfort her.

"Is that's why I haven't seen you around with other women?"

"One of the reasons, but I truly would like for us to be friends, to have a healthy relationship for a change." Jim reached for one of her hands and gently held it.

"I felt so worthless and spiteful that I did things that I shouldn't have."

"Like—pursuing Sulu?"

"Yes—Hikaru is a decent man, not a man-whore, like someone I know. I wanted that in a man. He fit the profile."

"That's nice and all, but he's engaged to a wonderful woman."

"That shouldn't matter to a woman who finds him attractive; after all, I met him first."

Jim gave her a serious look and saw the hurt: "He was your friend—why would you hurt a friend who didn't do anything to you? That was never you, Janice—at least not the Janice I knew."

"I don't want to hurt him or his woman." Janice looked into his eyes. "I just—I needed…"

Jim reached over and hugged her deeply; he understood what she wanted—what she needed. Janice needed validation of her sexuality and intelligence—the thing he couldn't give her while they were in the relationship, which he regretted. The _Enterprise_ had taken up his whole life. That is what he realized with Lester—she hadn't been recognized for her worth.

Janice started to breathe, and Jim released her from the hug. His words had released years of tension. She realized that he was being genuine—this was the real Kirk, the Kirk that she longed to be with. She held them back, but her eyes were filled to the brim with tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.

Jim pulled back slightly and looked at her: "Are we okay—are you okay?"

She nodded her head yes.

"Would you like to have dinner with an old friend?"

"Sure, that would be nice!"

* * *

**A/N:**

[1] Star Trek TOS: "Turnabout Intruder"—I never thought that Kirk would find the woman in him.

[2] Star Trek TOS: "The Man Trap"—Wrigley's Pleasure Planet (WPP) was mentioned in passing when Crewman Darnell compared the salt vampire's illusion of Nancy Crater to a woman he saw on WPP. Darnell and Dr. McCoy were on the planet M-113. Nancy Crater was a woman from McCoy's past, and the salt vampire showed the two men different illusions that were both supposed to be Nancy.


End file.
